Cobalt
by NCISVU
Summary: Will a drunken confession spark a fire between two agents who've been fighting their feelings for years or will it ruin a close friendship? Slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This story is rated M for a reason! If slash or graphic sex isn't your thing turn back now!

**Cobalt**

**Chapter One: Under the Influence **

Gibbs was busy measuring and marking where he had to drill the holes in the skeleton of his boat when his cell phone went off. He checked the watch on his wrist and wondered who was calling him at the ungodly hour then a feeling of dread set in. He hoped they weren't being assigned a case. They couldn't work another case, not so soon after the last one had ended. Their last case had been hell and they'd only closed it hours earlier.

He snatched his phone off his work table and lifted it to his ear, flipping it open with one finger as he did. "Gibbs."

"Uh, hi, hello." The voice on the other end sounded nervous and Gibbs found himself already growing impatient. "My name is Dalton. I'm a bartender here at Cobalt. Tony's here and I was wondering if there would be any way you could come get him. You were the first ICE contact in his phone."

"Ice?" Gibbs asked

"In case of emergency," Dalton explained.

"Right, I knew that," Gibbs said kicking himself for not taking a second to think about it. It was late—early actually and Gibbs was still getting used to all the new trends and technology. "Is Tony okay?"

"He just had a little too much to drink," Dalton said as he watched Tony start doing a striptease while standing on a pool table, singing karaoke. "Make that a lot too much to drink."

"Which bar did you say he was at?" Gibbs asked rubbing the back of his head.

"Cobalt," Dalton answered.

"Cobalt?" Gibbs repeated. How had he missed that first time around and why was Tony at a gay bar? "I'll be right there."

* * *

Despite it being after two o'clock in the morning, Cobalt was packed to the brim and still as busy as it had been at eight o'clock the evening before. Gibbs pulled into a parking spot labeled 'drunk passenger loading zone' and got out. He explained his way past the bouncer at the door and headed for the bar, spotting Tony immediately.

"You must be Gibbs," the young, dark haired bartender said when he approached.

"Sweetheart!" Tony exclaimed, his eyes wide and his smile as bright as ever. He threw his arms around Gibbs' neck and pulled him into a tight hug. "I thought you'd never come," he whispered into Gibbs' ear before he started giggling.

The hot breath on his ear sent shivers down Gibbs' spine but Gibbs did his best to ignore them. "How much have you had to drink?" he asked as he pried the young man's arms from around his neck.

"Juss a lil bit," Tony slurred holding up his fingers in an attempt to show Gibbs how little he'd consumed.

"Mm-hmm," Gibbs hummed as he turned to the bartender. "Thanks for the call, Dalton."

"Not a problem," Dalton said. "Here's his phone and his shirt. I caught him mid-striptease."

Gibbs smirked and looked back at Tony.

"Les get you home, Sweetheart," Tony slurred draping an arm across Gibbs' shoulder.

Gibbs took hold of Tony's wrist, holding the arm over his shoulders in place and wrapped his other arm around Tony's waist in an attempt to steady him then they started for the door. They hadn't made it two feet before Tony tripped on the carpeted floor.

"Easy," Gibbs said, pausing to let Tony get his balance.

"Careful," Tony said as if Gibbs were the one who'd stumbled.

As soon as they made it out the front door, Tony pulled free from Gibbs' grasp and turned to face the bushes. "Gotta hit the head," he said lowering his zipper and pulling his dick out.

"Ah, ah, ah, put that away!" Gibbs scolded. "I will not let you pee in public, especially in front of a busy bar."

Tony looked around then his eyes found Gibbs' again. "Thought we were in a ress-room," he said tucking himself back into his jeans and raising his zipper. "Hey look! I found the car! Gimme the keys, 'm drivin'."

"Oh no you're not," Gibbs said.

"Oh yes I am," Tony insisted holding out his hands for the keys.

"Uh-uh, not gonna happen," Gibbs said.

"I'm perfecly cabaple of drivin'," Tony stuttered, growing impatient, "fork 'em over."

"Tony, I don't even think you're capable of getting yourself into a taxi cab," Gibbs said nudging him towards the passenger side.

"Taxi!" Tony called raising his hand in the air and looking around for whatever taxi Gibbs was talking about.

"The taxi's right here, Tony," Gibbs said patiently as he opened the car door for Tony.

"Oh, here it is, Sweetheart," Tony said smiling at Gibbs. "Les go home."

Gibbs got Tony in the car and buckled his seatbelt for him then released a deep breath on his way around to his side of the car. He'd never seen Tony quite so drunk before and wondered what had precipitated it. Their last case had been difficult but only in the sense of working nonstop for days on end. No children were involved; no one had even died. It was just a fairly basic run of the mill drug case. It was nothing that would tempt his agent to head to the bar and get wasted in an effort to forget.

The car ride back to the house was quiet until Gibbs pulled off on the exit in Alexandria that would take them to his house. He wasn't quite sure why but he'd decided to just take Tony home with him rather than dump him at his own place. Perhaps it was so he could keep an eye on him or maybe it was so he could try to figure out what was going on or it could've been a little of both.

"What happened tonight, Tony?" Gibbs asked as he pointed the car in the direction of his house. He realized Tony was too drunk to make much sense or maybe even remember but he decided to ask anyways.

"Mmm… there's music," Tony said with a nod of his head and a smile, "and strippers." He laughed. "Me. I was the stripper, Boss." He laughed even harder. "And scotch. Shaken, not stirred. Never stir it, Boss."

"I'll try to remember that," Gibbs said. He had no idea what Tony was talking about.

"James Bond," Tony continued, "'cept he drinks martinis. Not scotch. I need a martini." More laughter. "Shaken, not stirred."

Gibbs was quiet while Tony rambled about Bond and alcoholic beverages then switched to talking about Bond girls and the Bond cars. Apparently even when he was plastered Tony's movie knowledge didn't waver. Gibbs pulled into his driveway and shut the car off then went around to Tony's side and helped him get out.

"Let me help you," Tony said as Gibbs pulled his arm across his shoulders and wrapped his other arm firmly around Tony's waist.

With Gibbs holding tightly to Tony, the two men managed to make it up the steps and into the house. As soon as they were inside Tony turned to face Gibbs and wrapped his arms around the older man's neck. Gibbs just watched, waiting to see what Tony was going to do.

"Wanna know a secret?" Tony asked, still slurring his words.

"Sure," Gibbs said. Did he really want to know the secret? Was it even a secret? Tony was so out of his mind drunk it was no telling what was going to come out of his mouth.

"There's this guy who I work with," Tony said. He looked around the entryway to make sure they were alone then lowered his voice as he continued. "He's my boss." He laughed deviously. "Even though he's a bastard, I love him." Tony nodded. He had the most serious look he'd had all night on his face.

Gibbs was positive it was the alcohol talking. Tony was only into girls. That didn't explain why he was at a gay bar but Gibbs was sure he had a good reason. "Why don't you tell him?" he asked. He would play along with whatever game Tony was playing. It wasn't like Tony would remember any of it in the morning anyways.

"Erm, no," Tony said shaking his head. "Can't. Can't do it. He likes girls."

If nothing else Gibbs was satisfied that he'd been able to keep his attraction to Tony and his occasional romp with a man a secret.

"Boss?"

Gibbs' eyes met Tony's, a little surprised. Moments earlier the young man hadn't known he was talking to. "Hmm?"

"I—" he drew out the word, "I love you, Sweetheart."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. He was confused and getting tired of the games. Actually, if he was honest, he was just getting frustrated because he couldn't figure out if Tony meant what he was saying or not. Alcohol wouldn't give someone a sudden crush on someone and it most certainly wouldn't turn them gay. Besides, Tony had been sober when he'd chosen to go to Cobalt, one of the best gay bars in the city.

"Come on, Tony," he said starting up the stairs.

After several missteps and both of them nearly stumbling backwards on more than one occasion they finally made it to the top. Gibbs helped Tony into his bedroom where he once again found himself in an embrace by the younger man.

"What're you doin'?" Gibbs asked.

"I like your shirt," Tony said. More laughing. At least Tony was a happy drunk.

Gibbs looked down at the comfy Marine Corps t-shirt he'd thrown on when he got home from work and was a bit confused. There was nothing designer about it and Tony usually only admired designer clothes. Before he had time to figure it out he felt hands brushing down his chest and abs then resting on the front of his jeans.

"Whoa, Stud," he said, moving Tony's hands away from his crotch, "let's keep our hands to ourselves."

"'m horny," Tony said.

"I see that," Gibbs said. "Let's get you into bed."

"You're coming too, right, Boss?" Tony asked as he started stripping.

Gibbs stared as Tony's jeans fell to the floor. When Tony went to push his boxers down Gibbs grabbed his wrists and stopped him.

"Want me to undress you first?" Tony asked.

"No, Tony," Gibbs said. "I won't be undressing."

"But 'm horny," Tony said, "and I love you."

"I won't be one of your one night stands," Gibbs said.

"One night stand?" Tony scoffed. "Who's standing?!"

"Lie down," Gibbs said pulling the comforter and sheet back.

"I always sleep naked," Tony said pushing his boxers down and kicking them off.

Gibbs turned and was greeted by a very happy Tony with not a stitch of clothing on. His eyes automatically went to Tony's dick. It was flaccid from far too much alcohol but still impressive. "Lie down," Gibbs said peeling his eyes away from Tony's most private parts. "I'll tuck you in."

Tony obeyed, much to Gibbs' relief. "Tomorrow," Tony said.

Gibbs waited for him to finish his thought while he pulled the blankets over him but he never did. "Tomorrow you and I are gonna have a little talk," Gibbs said brushing Tony's hair off his forehead.

Tony yawned then his head sank into the pillow and within a few seconds he was snoring softly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Aftermath **

After tucking Tony into bed, Gibbs returned to the basement. He was tired and could've gone to bed himself but he knew there were far too many questions whirling around in his mind for him to actually be able to sleep. He grabbed his tape measure and pencil and went back to what he was doing before the phone call. Working on his boat always helped him sort things out and clear his mind.

One of the biggest questions plaguing him was what Tony was doing at Cobalt. Just about everything else that had happened that night could be explained away by drunkenness but Tony had been sober when he'd decided to go to Cobalt. He could've gone with a friend—Dorneget maybe? Gibbs could see Tony volunteering to be Dorneget's wingman. Maybe Dorneget got lucky and left and Tony had just decided to stay and drink. Despite his sometimes borderline inappropriate jokes, Gibbs knew Tony was no homophobe.

He also knew Tony wasn't gay. Tony may have exaggerated about his sexual exploits when he was bragging to Tim and Ziva but there was no evidence to show that he was even remotely interested in guys. Tony had the occasional bromance but Gibbs had only ever witnessed admiration and occasional jealousy over what his friends had that he didn't, not lust or longing.

Gibbs traded his tape measure for his sanding block and sandpaper. He was too distracted to be trying to measure things. Those measurements had to be spot on. Sanding he could do in his sleep. As he found a smooth, even rhythm with the sandpaper, Gibbs let his thoughts drift to Tony's behavior from the time he'd picked him up at the club until he'd finally tucked him into bed. The 'I love yous', the hugs, the confession that he loved his boss, Tony's hand on his crotch, Tony standing in front of him with no clothes on…

"Stop," he told himself. He couldn't think like that. No thoughts about nudity or touching. They weren't productive. They would only distract him.

He looked at his watch and realized it was already 4:00 in the morning. He had to go bed. It wouldn't be long before his internal clock would be waking him again. At least it was Saturday and, barring any major catastrophes, his team wouldn't have to work that weekend.

Gibbs headed upstairs and checked on Tony. The young man was completely passed out but perfectly fine. He changed into a pair of sweats, brushed his teeth and washed his face then headed back down to the couch to at least try to get some rest.

* * *

The aftereffects of a night of heavy drinking were really starting to make themselves known as Tony drifted back to consciousness the following day. He could tell by the smell of the room and the feel of the mattress that he wasn't at his own place before he even opened his eyes.

He moaned in discomfort as he stretched his arms out on either side of him to see if he was sleeping alone. His eyelids were heavy, his head was pounding and he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt quite so nauseous. He opened his eyes and quickly realized he was in Gibbs' room. A momentary feeling of safety knowing that he hadn't been taken home by some stranger and taken advantage of was quickly replaced by panic. How had he gotten to Gibbs' house? Did Gibbs know he was at a gay bar the previous night? Had he said anything to the older man about his feelings for him?

Suddenly Tony was feeling even sicker. He shot out of bed entirely too fast and nearly fell over from dizziness before making it to the en-suite bathroom and losing the contents of his stomach in the toilet. It wasn't until he was finished throwing up that he realized he was completely naked.

"Shit, Tony, what did you do last night?" he asked himself. He knew he hadn't had sex—he would've been able to feel that, but he couldn't think of any good reason for him to be naked in Gibbs' bed. He was beginning to fear things might be worse than he'd originally thought. He had a fleeting idea to crawl out the window so he didn't have to face his boss but he knew better.

He found his boxers from the day before and the jeans he'd been wearing and got himself dressed. His shirt was nowhere to be found, making him even more curious about what had happened but there was no reason he couldn't go downstairs without a shirt on. Gibbs had seen his bare chest on numerous occasions and Tony had a sinking feeling in his gut that the older man had seen every part of him the night before anyways.

He took his time going down the stairs and rounding the corner to the living room where he found Gibbs folding laundry.

"Mornin' Sleepy Head," Gibbs greeted just a little too cheery for his liking.

"Why am I here?"

"You don't remember?"

Tony shook his head.

"I got a call from Dalton last night asking me to come get you," Gibbs said as he stacked piles of folded laundry in the basket.

"Dalton?" Tony asked.

"Bartender," Gibbs answered watching Tony closely, "at Cobalt."

"I uh… they um… it's just that, well you see…"

"You don't owe me any explanation," Gibbs said.

"Where's my shirt?" Tony asked, happy to change the topic.

"Sit," Gibbs said motioning towards the couch. He retrieved Tony's freshly laundered shirt from the basket and tossed it to him then disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned Tony was still shirtless and had his head in his hands. "Take these," he said holding out a few aspirin, "and drink as much of this water as you can."

Tony obeyed. His mind was plagued with questions but he really wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answers or not. He was trying to work up the courage to ask.

"Ya hungry?" Gibbs asked when Tony handed the empty water glass back to him.

Tony shook his head.

"Will you try to eat some dry toast for me?"

"Okay."

Gibbs disappeared back into the kitchen and popped a piece of bread into the toaster. Tony looked liked crap and he had to remind himself not to worry. It was just a hangover. The reason for the hangover was a little more worrisome to Gibbs but he wasn't sure if Tony was up to having that conversation yet. The younger man looked like he was ready to pass out at any minute again.

"Boss?"

Gibbs tuned and found Tony leaning heavily on the door frame between the dining room and the kitchen. "Go sit down, Tony. I'll be there in a minute."

The toast popped and Gibbs smiled at the near perfect golden brown tint evenly covering the bread then mentally kicked himself for being proud of making a piece of toast. He returned to the living room where Tony was once again sitting on the couch only he'd managed to get his shirt on.

"Thanks," Tony said taking the toast. "What time is it?"

"1600 hours."

Tony did the math in his head and his eyes widened in shock. "4:00? It's 4:00 in the afternoon?!"

Gibbs nodded. "Eat."

"Boss, what happened last night?"

"I already told you," Gibbs said.

"I know but how did I get here… in your bed… naked?" Tony asked. "Did I say anything stupid? Did I do anything embarrassing? Do I still have a job?"

"Easy," Gibbs coaxed. "You take a bite or two of that toast and I'll try to fill in some of the blanks for you."

Tony looked at the bread in his hands and wasn't sure he'd be able to keep it down. He looked around the living room and laid eyes on a waste paper basket. He knew where the bathroom down the hall was too. If he had to throw up, he had two options he could quickly get to. He took a small bite, knowing Gibbs wasn't going to answer any of his questions until he ate, even though he still wasn't quite sure he wanted to know the answers to his questions.

"Dalton called me last night, like I said before," Gibbs said as he relaxed into his corner of the couch. "I went and picked ya up and you were pretty wasted so I brought you here instead of dumping you at your place."

Tony nodded. Besides the fact that Gibbs had caught him at a gay bar so far it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

"You stripped yourself insisting you only sleep naked," Gibbs continued, answering Tony's question about how he'd ended up naked.

"You saw it… I mean, everything?"

"You were outta your clothes before I even knew what you were doing," Gibbs said. "Yeah, I saw it all but it's nothing I haven't seen before."

Tony felt his face redden as he continued nibbling on his toast. "I don't know if I wanna know anymore," he said.

"Alright."

"Did I say anything… horrifying?" he asked setting his toast aside and looking over at Gibbs.

"Thought ya didn't wanna know anymore," Gibbs said.

"I don't," Tony said, "but is there anything I should know?"

Gibbs was quiet for a moment, dragging out his answer just to make Tony suffer a little more. He had to live up to the second 'b' in his name, after all. "You confessed your undying love for me."

Tony laughed uncomfortably. "You're lying." It was more of a hope, a prayer even.

"Am I?"

Tony didn't know. He couldn't read the man's face. He had a splitting headache and his nerves were shot to hell from trying to figure out just how much Gibbs knew about his feelings for him.

"Lie down, Tony," Gibbs said as he stood from the couch. "We'll talk more tomorrow when you're feeling better."

"Do I still have a job?" Tony asked.

"Somebody's gotta watch my six," Gibbs answered. He put the TV remote on Tony's chest then covered him with the blanket he usually slept under. After pulling the shades behind the couch closed, he headed down to his basement and left Tony to relax in peace.

* * *

Tony woke very early on Sunday morning. He still wasn't feeling one hundred percent but he was certainly feeling much better than he had been the day before. He listened carefully to the quiet around him and determined Gibbs was asleep, wherever he was. The last thing he wanted to do was face the man and have any sort of conversation about anything that had happened over the course of the weekend.

The blue screen on the TV gave off enough light he could easily see around the living room. He decided his best option was to just leave before Gibbs got up. He knew he'd have to face Gibbs at some point but he needed some time to himself to clear his thoughts. He needed fresh air and distance to try to figure out what to do and how to fix the massive mess he seemed to have gotten himself into.

He silently made his way to the front door, put his shoes on then left without making a noise. Once he was in the driveway he realized he had another problem, his car was apparently still at the club and he had no transportation.

"Damn it, Anthony, when you step in it, you really step in it big," he muttered to himself. He patted his back pocket and felt his wallet and his front pocket and found his phone. At least he could call a taxi.

* * *

Gibbs woke at his usual early hour of the morning on Sunday. He crawled out from under his boat grumbling at his sore, achy muscles. Normally he slept on the couch which wasn't much more comfortable but had a little more padding than the piece of plywood under his boat. Tony was on the couch though, snoring away; at least he had been when Gibbs had gone down to the basement the night before.

As soon as he made it upstairs he realized that wasn't the case. Tony was gone. His clothes weren't piled on the floor, his wallet and phone were missing and his shoes had disappeared. He'd left sometime in the middle of the night. Gibbs felt both panic, wondering if Tony was okay, and a little hurt by the fact that Tony had snuck out in the middle of the night. He decided a quick phone call was necessary just to make sure Tony was okay.

He pulled his phone out and dialed Tony's number, getting even more disheartened when it took Tony seven rings to answer. "Hey," he said. "You okay?"

"'m fine, Boss," Tony said. He sounded uncomfortable, anxious even. Something was definitely up with him. "I um, I had a few things I had to do today."

That was an excuse and a lame one at that. It was 0612 and Tony was long gone but Gibbs decided not to push. "I would've taken you home or let ya borrow a car," Gibbs said.

"I didn't wanna wake you," Tony said. "I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Alright," Gibbs said.

Tony hung up the phone before Gibbs could say anything else or ask any more questions. He groaned, knowing he hadn't sounded natural on the phone. Maybe sneaking out of Gibbs' house wasn't the smartest plan. Maybe that would just make Gibbs even more suspicious. He threw himself onto his couch and buried his face in his hands.

"Damn it, DiNozzo!" he yelled. The entire weekend had just been one screw up followed by another and the weekend was only half over. He still had to make it through Sunday. He found himself wondering what else could go wrong. Would Gibbs come over and confront him or somehow try to get him to explain what was going on? Would he ask him why he was at a gay bar? Had he really confessed his love to the man? What was going to happen Monday morning at work? Tony suddenly felt himself getting sick again.

* * *

Tony spent all morning and half the afternoon on Sunday trying to forget about everything that happened. The more he dwelled on it, the sicker he felt and it wasn't from the alcohol. His nerves were wreaking havoc on his body. He made a rare trip to the grocery store, got the oil in his car changed and spent an hour browsing in his favorite movie store before he completely freaked out. He needed something more to distract him.

"What is wrong with you, Anthony?" he asked himself as he sat in his car in front of the movie store. He had to do something—anything to escape from his thoughts. He usually went to Gibbs' house but that was out of the question. Abby would ask too many questions. Ziva would know something was wrong and spend the day trying to find out what. He decided to head to Tim's apartment. Hanging out with Tim would take his mind off things and his friend wouldn't ask too many questions. If he did, Tony knew he could easily distract him.

He turned his car on and headed for Tim's apartment complex. It wasn't that far away and traffic wasn't bad for a Sunday afternoon. He made pretty good time but he quickly noticed Tim's car wasn't in his designated parking spot. He parked and headed up anyways, just in case he'd missed something but there was no answer when he knocked on the door.

"Plan B," he said on the way back down to his car. "What is plan b?"

He decided he couldn't keep everything bottled up forever and Abby was really the only person he trusted enough to tell. He figured it was as good a time as any so he headed to her apartment with a plan of dodging her questions for as long as he could. Best case scenario was he'd end up enjoying a relaxing evening with a close friend and forgetting all about the rest of the weekend. Worst case scenario was Abby would pry the information out of him and he'd have someone to talk to about it, which probably wouldn't be so bad after all.

Tony contemplated calling Abby on the drive over but decided to just show up and hope she was home. If she wasn't there, he might not make it to see Monday.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her car in the parking lot. It was the first thing that had gone right for him all day, all weekend actually. After parking he hurried up the stairs plastering his best 'everything's fine' smile on his face and knocked happily on her door.

"Abs, it's Tony."

"Come in, Tony!" Abby yelled back.

Tony entered and found Abby sprawled out comfortably on the couch eating junk food.

"Cheetos?" Abby offered. "Skittles? Popcorn? Sour gummy worms?"

"Wow," Tony said, "you're like all set here."

"Yup," Abby said. "Working nonstop for days requires some hardcore relaxation and junk food intake. What's up with you? Did ya need something?"

"Nah," Tony said. "I was just bored and wondered if you wanted to hang out."

"Sure," Abby replied. "What do you wanna do? We could go to the movies."

"Not really in the mood to see a movie." He didn't want to be forced to sit still and think about things for that long and he didn't trust a movie to keep him distracted.

"We could hit the bar," Abby suggested.

"No!" Tony yelled.

Abby cocked her head at him, confused by his strong reaction.

"Uh, I just mean that… well, I thought we could stay in, order a pizza, do something here." Tony hadn't meant to yell but the bar was what had gotten him into the mess. He was determined to avoid it at all costs.

"What's going on, Tony?" Abby was growing more and more suspicious by the minute.

"Nothing," Tony insisted. "Papa Murphy's? I'm buying."

"We always split it," Abby pointed out. She only brought it up because it was more proof of how strange Tony was acting. He always wanted to split the bill.

"Abby, please?" Tony begged. "Please. I just… please."

"You're not dying, are you?"

"I wish it was that simple," Tony muttered.

Abby reached over and punched him square in the chest and he shrieked. "Don't even joke about a thing like that! I need you, Tony," she scolded before continuing her interrogation. "Now, did you commit a crime?"

"Are you gonna spend all night interrogating me?"

"Just until I get the answers I'm looking for," Abby said. "Was that a yes or a no on the crime?"

"I went to Cobalt and got wasted and the bartender called Gibbs to come get me and I may or may not have confessed my love to him," Tony blurted out.

"Cobalt?" Abby asked trying to process the rapid succession of words. "That's a gay bar, Tony. Are you gay?"

Tony shrugged uncomfortably. He'd always intended on telling Abby but hadn't thought it would be under those circumstances. "I'm bi."

"Okay. Did you or did you not confess your love to Gibbs?" she asked.

"I dunno. I was drunk—_really_ drunk."

Abby glanced around her apartment even though she knew they were alone. "Do you love him?" The question came out in a whisper and was met by Tony fidgeting and squirming. "You _do_ love him!" Abby exclaimed with a smile. She saw Tony growing increasingly more uncomfortable and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "I'll order the pizza," she told him. She was hoping some pizza might make the conversation go a little easier or at the very least prevent Tony from running. He wasn't usually very good at talking about things that were so serious but Abby was confident she could help him work through everything.

* * *

Abby giggled to herself as she tucked Tony in on her couch. She rubbed his belly to stop his snoring then gave him a friendly kiss on the forehead before heading down the hall to her own room. She and Tony had spent all evening talking and Abby had been surprised with how much he'd shared. Once Tony had started talking it was like the flood gates had been opened.

She'd learned of years of Tony carrying around his love for Gibbs and his confusion about whether or not it was love. Abby had assured him he could love someone who didn't love him back and that seemed to clear up some of the confusion. Abby had suggested that maybe Gibbs actually did love Tony back and she'd encouraged him to go after what he wanted but Tony had quickly shot that idea down. She'd also promised to keep every part of their conversation top secret.

After talking late into the night, the two had put a movie in to unwind and Tony had ended up falling asleep on the couch. Abby decided to just leave him be. He could sleep there that night. He was finally relaxed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Disaster After Disaster**

Gibbs looked up from his desk as Tony entered the bullpen on Monday morning. The young man was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. It was casual for Tony for a Monday but not against regs. Gibbs was pretty sure it was the clothing he kept in his go bag which meant he hadn't spent the night at his apartment. That left Gibbs wondering where he'd been. Ziva was already there so Gibbs doubted he'd stayed with her. Tim didn't have any extra room or even a couch for Tony to crash on so he probably hadn't been there. Maybe he'd stayed with Abby or possibly even Jimmy. Dorneget wasn't out of the question either. He and Tony hung out on occasion. Or perhaps Tony had gone somewhere and picked up a chick… or maybe even a guy… and spent the night with a stranger. Gibbs had seen him after a night of sex though and he definitely didn't have that sated look on his face. He looked stressed and worried.

Gibbs turned his attention back to his paperwork, wondering why he was even worried to begin with. Just because Tony had told him he loved him—and grabbed his crotch—while under the influence of a lot of alcohol didn't mean anything. The alcohol in Tony's system may have made it more difficult for him to get an erection but that didn't mean he wouldn't be horny. Maybe Tony was just going after the first warm body he found which happened to be Gibbs. It probably meant nothing.

"Good morning, Tony," Ziva greeted. "How was your weekend?"

Tony's eyes went wide as panic rose. Gibbs was sitting right there and could hear everything. He didn't want to lie. He didn't want to insult the man or outright deny anything that had happened. "Memorable," he said before pausing, "even though I don't remember half of it." He smiled proudly at his answer. He hadn't given away too much information nor had he denied or confirmed anything.

"Well, that's really quite vague," Ziva commented, unsure what exactly to make of the statement.

"It's all you're getting," Tony replied.

Tim strolled into the bullpen with a minute to spare and dropped his things on his desk. "Did I miss the memo, Tony?" he asked.

"What memo?" Tony glanced at his desk, wondering if he was missing something.

"Casual Monday," Tim said looking over Tony's unusual outfit selection.

"Oh, I uh, I fell asleep on Abby's couch last night," Tony explained. "This was all I had in my go bag."

_Abby's,_ Gibbs thought. It wasn't too much of a surprise. At least he hadn't picked up another meaningless lay. As the thoughts filtered through his mind, Gibbs realized how possessive he was feeling. Tony had told him he loved him in a drunken stupor and now he was thinking like they were in a relationship of some sort. It probably had something to do with his feelings for Tony but Gibbs wasn't ready to admit that to himself yet.

_What the hell is going on with you, Marine?_ he asked himself. He knew he had to get his head on straight. _Coffee_, he thought. Coffee would do the trick. He stood and left without a word.

* * *

Much to Tony's dismay their team never got a call out on Monday morning. There was nothing to distract him, nothing to take his mind off the events of the weekend and his attempt to cover his feelings of awkwardness had turned into disaster after disaster.

The misguided gay jokes he made on occasion had been in rare form that morning. He'd stuck his foot in his mouth on multiple occasions teasing his coworkers about their love and sex lives. He'd even managed to turn lunch into something awkwardly sexual before Gibbs had growled at him and sent him down to autopsy to pick up Ducky's report on their last case. Normally Gibbs collected the reports himself but he was hoping the errand would allow Tony some time to pull himself together. He smiled to himself when Tony returned and seemed a little more subdued, apologetic even.

"Boss?" It was the first time Tony had actually addressed Gibbs that day. When Gibbs looked at him expectantly, Tony continued. "Do you think it'd be okay if I took a little break? Maybe some fresh air would help me get my head on straight." He hoped Gibbs would be sympathetic just that once. The man knew what kind of weekend he'd had.

"You've got fifteen minutes," Gibbs said. "Keep your phone on."

"Thank you, Boss," Tony said before scurrying out.

Gibbs nodded, happy with the genuine thank you. The request wasn't Tony screwing around again; he wasn't trying to get out of work. He was feeling uncomfortable about everything that had happened and trying to pull himself together. Gibbs saw the inappropriate jokes that morning for what they really were—an attempt to hide his insecurities. He'd seen his boy do it countless times before but it didn't leave him any less confused about the events of the previous weekend.

Maybe Cobalt had a good promo going on Friday night. Maybe Tony was curious and just checking things out. Maybe Tony was gay—bi probably, Gibbs decided—and looking to pick someone up. When Gibbs was working on the boat, trying to figure things out after picking Tony up, he hadn't let himself consider all the possibilities but Tony's continued strange behavior was a clue that not all was as it seemed with Tony DiNozzo. As much as Tony was outwardly struggling with the events of the past weekend, Gibbs was inwardly struggling.

* * *

Tony hurried to get out of the building but slowed his pace considerably once he was outside in the fresh air. He had fifteen minutes. There was no need to rush. He decided coffee was in order. He would take one back for Gibbs as well to… why? What would his explanation be? He didn't want things to get weird, or any weirder than they already were. He didn't want Gibbs to think he was hitting on him either—even though he was.

_What to do? What to do?_ he thought. Suddenly it hit him. He'd take coffee back for the whole team. That might look a little strange but he had been a bit of a nuisance that morning, unintentionally but a nuisance nonetheless. It could be a peace offering and Gibbs wouldn't think he was flirting.

He stepped up to the coffee cart in the courtyard and froze. He knew what kind of coffee he liked and he knew what kind Gibbs liked but what the hell kind of coffee did Tim and Ziva like? He scolded himself for not paying better attention. Tim liked some fancy, sweet stuff and Ziva, well, what kind did Ziva like? He ordered his coffee and Gibbs' then a couple specialty coffees that he hoped Tim and Ziva would enjoy.

He waited patiently for the drinks, letting the fresh air cleanse his body and soul. When he returned to work he was determined to be back to his old self. He'd spent the morning trying too hard—trying too hard to act natural, trying too hard to assure Gibbs that he was the same old DiNozzo—straightest man in all of DC; just trying too hard all around. He knew he was making a fool of himself but he seemed to have lost all self-control.

Once the drinks were ready he took them, thanked the barista and headed back to the building. He had six minutes, he'd have to hurry but he could make it. He didn't need to give Gibbs another reason to be upset with him. His boss had already been quite generous in allowing him the short break. He would show his gratitude by behaving himself the rest of the afternoon, or at least trying to.

* * *

Most of the afternoon was spent in silence. Gibbs looked on as his agents finally managed to get some work done. Tony had calmed considerably and even earned himself some extra points when he'd returned with coffee for everyone. He'd failed to correctly guess Tim and Ziva's favorite drinks but both assured him that they loved what he'd gotten them. It was coffee, it was sweet and they were happily surprised by the gesture.

Just before quitting time, after being quiet all afternoon, Tony decided to make one last ditch effort to account for his night at the bar. He glanced over at Tim who was just wrapping up the report he'd been on.

"Hey McGee, wanna go to Cobalt with me?" he asked.

Tim gave Tony a strange look, wondering what he was up to. He stayed quiet, unsure if Tony was being serious or setting him up. Cobalt was the best gay bar in DC and Tony was constantly teasing him about being gay even though he wasn't. Tim was determined not to walk into whatever trap Tony was setting.

"They have the best pizza in DC," Tony said.

"I thought you said Papa Murphy's has the best pizza," Tim said.

Gibbs sighed heavily as he pulled his overcoat on and headed for the elevator. Tony's shoulders drooped at another failed attempt to explain away his Friday night. He wanted to pound on his desk but didn't. There were too many people around.

"What is going on with you today, Tony?" Ziva asked as she watched him stand and pick up his bag.

"I think I might have to quit," Tony muttered before moping out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: The Week From Hell**

The rest of the week passed in much the same way Monday had. Tony had repeatedly stuck his foot in his mouth although the case they'd worked on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday had taken some of the pressure off. Friday was turning into another disaster though. Tony had told himself to just drop the whole Cobalt situation and scolded himself for repeatedly bringing it up but no matter how hard he tried things just kept slipping out and he hated himself for it. It was almost quitting time though. The week from hell was drawing to a close and Tony had never been so anxious to get out of there.

"DiNozzo."

"Boss?"

"Go check in with Abby, make sure all the forensics are in order," Gibbs instructed. "I don't want this guy getting off on some technicality. Try not to do anything stupid while you're down there."

"Yes, Boss."

"And don't forget her Caf-Pow," Gibbs reminded him when Tony walked off in the wrong direction.

"Right, Boss," Tony said, turning around and heading towards the break room.

* * *

"You look like hell, Tony," Abby said accepting the Caf-Pow he was holding out. "I think you might need this more than I do."

Tony rubbed his hands roughly over his face and grumbled into them.

"What's going on?"

"I've been trying, surreptitiously, to explain away my night at Cobalt and assure Gibbs without telling actually telling him that I'm not gay," Tony said. "It hasn't exactly been going well."

Abby rolled her eyes. "And they say women complicate things."

"I'm not trying to complicate it," Tony grumbled, "I'm trying to uncomplicate it! Subtly leading someone to believe something is sometimes a whole lot easier than just coming out and saying it."

"Tony, you are complicating the hell out of this situation, my friend," Abby said as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "Why don't you just tell him you've got a thing for him?"

"No!" Tony insisted. "Nu-uh, no way in hell!"

"Okay, then why the need to hide the fact that you're bisexual?" Abby asked. "Gibbs won't judge. You know him better than that and he won't blab to the team either. He's the best secret keeper ever."

"Because, Abby, I love him and I don't wanna lose him," Tony said. "I also don't want to be sent to NCIS: Antarctica when he finds out I have a crush on him."

"He's not gonna send you to Antarctica," Abby said. "I think you're blowing everything way out of proportion. It's really not as bad as you think it is."

"That's easy for you to say," Tony told her. "You weren't caught at a gay bar by your crush who just happens to also be your boss."

Abby wrapped Tony in a hug and let him rest his head on her shoulder while she rubbed her hand up and down his back.

"What do I do, Abby?" he whispered.

"I already told you what I think you should do and that's go after what you want but if you won't do that then you at least need to stop acting like an idiot. You're trying too hard to be Tony DiNozzo. The Tony DiNozzo I know is effortless in his charm and charisma; not sticking his foot in his mouth every time he opens it."

"Boss wants to know if your forensics are tight," Tony said as he lifted his head from her shoulder. It was time for a subject change. He wasn't going to confess anything to Gibbs and he wasn't going to try to seduce him or any of the other crazy plans Abby had suggested. He appreciated her advice but he'd find his own way out of this mess.

"Watertight," Abby said before changing the subject right back. "I hate seeing you so miserable, Tony."

"I'll be okay," Tony assured her. "I just have to get through this awkwardly, uncomfortable rough patch. Thanks for being there for me. You're the only one I can talk to about this."

"Always," Abby said. She and Tony were close. They knew each other's secrets and never hesitated to confide in one another. Their bond was unbreakable.

Tony gave her a peck on the cheek then playfully tugged at one of her pigtails before heading back to the elevator. It dinged as the doors opened and Tony froze. Gibbs was in there, alone. Tony didn't want to be alone with Gibbs, didn't want to say anything else stupid in front of the man and he certainly didn't want Gibbs to ask any questions about his strange behavior. In short, he did not want to get into that elevator.

"Are you getting in?" Gibbs asked impatiently when Tony didn't move.

Tony rubbed at the nape of his neck and tried to focus all his attention on keeping his breathing calm as he stepped into the elevator. He'd never had a panic attack before but he was pretty sure he was right on the edge. His only hope was that Gibbs wouldn't stop the elevator. He closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer then opened them and glanced over just in time to see Gibbs reach out and push the emergency stop button.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he muttered.

"What the hell is going on with you this week, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked trying to find his best fake smile.

"Ya been acting funny all week," Gibbs pointed out. "Funnier than usual which is saying something when it comes to you." Gibbs could be patient. He would stand in that elevator for as long as it took to get to the bottom of Tony's behavior. He had a few guesses as to what might be going on but he wanted to hear it from Tony because it was so totally different from the Tony DiNozzo that he knew, he didn't want to risk getting it wrong.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tony said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"Anthony," Gibbs warned.

Tony weaved his fingers into his hair and pulled, not even caring that it was messing up his hair. He had to get out of this somehow but Gibbs didn't appear to be budging. The man usually let him hide behind his smile, jokes and antics but that wasn't good enough this time. Tony didn't know what to do.

"Stop trying to pull your hair out and talk to me," Gibbs said firmly.

"I can't," Tony whined, fully realizing how pathetic he both sounded and looked.

"Does this have something to do with you being at Cobalt last weekend?"

Tony's silence was all the answer Gibbs needed and all the answer he got.

"Tony, I don't care if you're gay. It doesn't change my opinion of you at all."

Tony remained frustratingly silent. Usually Gibbs couldn't shut him up. Now he couldn't seem to pry a word out of him.

"I haven't told anyone if that's what you're worried about and I won't."

Still no response from Tony.

"Damn it, Tony, talk to me!" Gibbs demanded.

"I love you!" Tony yelled before calming. "I love you, okay?" His secret was out and he was terrified. He reached over and slammed his hand into the emergency stop, starting the elevator once again and as soon as it opened he disappeared down the hall without another word leaving Gibbs standing alone in the elevator with his mouth hanging open.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Pizza and Beer… and More**

Tony paced the floor of his apartment in a panic. He'd left NCIS immediately following the elevator incident without so much as a goodbye to anyone. It was pretty much the end of the day and there was no way he could face Gibbs again, not so soon at least. Now he was in full blown panic mode.

He'd considered going shopping for winter clothes to accommodate whatever harsh winter conditions there would be at whatever icy destination he was sure Gibbs would have him transferred to but decided against it. He didn't want to go out in public. He didn't want to risk running into anyone. He needed the safety of his apartment that night.

He'd considered getting wasted but after his night at Cobalt he was leery to put another drop of alcohol into his body. Who knew how much more damage he would do? He didn't trust himself not to wander out of his apartment and have someone else find him and call Gibbs. He couldn't do it—wouldn't, no matter what.

He considered calling Abby or just heading over to her place but he knew she was headed to some big party and he didn't want to ruin her evening of fun. She'd already coddled him enough. She'd told him what to do and that wouldn't change. Abby wasn't one to tickle his ears; she wouldn't change her opinion just because she thought it was what he wanted to hear and he didn't want her to do that. He respected her advice but there was no way he'd be taking it on this occasion. He'd done more than enough damage first at the club and then at Gibbs' house and finally at work all week.

His pacing was interrupted by a knock at his door. He arched his brow, wondering who it could be. He wasn't expecting anyone. He headed over and peered through the peephole and froze. It was the last person he expected, the last person he would've guessed and absolutely the last person on the planet that he wanted to see.

"Open up, DiNozzo," Gibbs said. "I know you're in there."

Gibbs heard the chain slowly sliding across the metal bracket and breathed a silent sigh of relief. He'd been stunned by Tony's confession in the elevator. He knew Tony looked up to him and it was no longer a secret that Tony was into men. Well, Tony hadn't confirmed it and Gibbs knew there were other theories about why he was at a gay bar but after the confession in the elevator there was no doubt in his mind. He never would've guessed that Tony liked him though and even more surprising—Tony had admitted it to his face.

Meaningless crushes didn't faze Tony. The boy fell in love as easily as he breathed but it was never long before he fell out of love again. Gibbs knew Tony exaggerated a bit for show when he was bragging to Tim and Ziva about his sexual exploits but Tony had had his fair share of partners and few had ever really had an effect on him.

There had been Wendy. Gibbs was around for that breakup. Tony had been a mess. Then there was Jeanne. That was a mess in and of itself but it was certainly complicated by the fact that Tony had actually fallen in love with her. Gibbs had known he'd loved them both and that was what complicated this situation. It seemed to Gibbs that Tony's love for him had been what was plaguing him all week.

It was easy to tell when Tony was in love. The stories about his endless pursuits stopped, he became secretive and it always affected his work, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. That was exactly what had been going on with Tony all week which led Gibbs to believe Tony's feelings for him weren't a fleeting infatuation, it was leaning more towards the real thing.

Tony barely opened the door far enough for Gibbs to see his nose so Gibbs just stood there and waited. When Tony didn't speak, Gibbs used his foot to ease the door open far enough he could see Tony's face.

"Why didn't you just come talk to me, Tony? Why the need to run around acting like a fool all week?" He could see Tony was terrified. The young man was looking much like he did when Gibbs had picked him up at Cobalt—like he might pass out or throw up at any moment, but Gibbs was fairly certain he hadn't been drinking this time.

Tony stepped back and Gibbs entered the apartment, not really wanting to stand in the hall while they had the conversation.

"'cause I don't like the cold," Tony answered.

Gibbs cocked his head to the side. He didn't have a clue what Tony was talking about.

"What's it gonna be? Antarctica? Alaska? Russia? Where'm I getting transferred to?" Tony asked

The head slap Tony received seemed to ground him. It was a natural exchange between then two and provoked an almost immediate calming response in Tony. A head slap meant everything was okay. It was when Gibbs stopped slapping his head that Tony worried.

"Sit down," Gibbs said motioning towards the couch, "let's talk."

Tony sat in one corner of the couch, hugging one of the decorative pillows and Gibbs sat on the other side.

"You don't have to answer my questions if you don't want to but after the week you've had I think it might be wise to try to work some of this out," Gibbs said. "Now, why were you at Cobalt?"

"To drink," Tony answered.

A vague answer. That was no surprise to Gibbs. He'd circle back around to that. "Why'd you drink so much? I know you've got issues with your father being wasted when you were a child and I know you were determined not to turn out like that. Why take a step in that direction?"

"I'm _not_ like my father," Tony growled.

"You're nothing like him," Gibbs agreed, "but getting that drunk is stupid, Tony. You know that. You've seen it. Hell, you've lived it."

Tony hugged his pillow tighter and Gibbs took note of the defensive position he'd taken up.

"I guess I was just looking for an escape," Tony said. "I know alcohol's only temporary but I just wanted one night where I didn't have to think, where I didn't have to feel so alone. I didn't expect it to backfire in quite the way it did though."

That answered one question. He hadn't accompanied anyone to the bar. "Why not pick someone up? You've done it before."

"Because, then I just end up with a warm body in my bed. I'm still alone on the inside."

Another question answered. He wasn't there looking to pick someone up, at least that's what it sounded like. "So you're tired of bringing home substitutes for the person that you really want?" Gibbs asked.

Tony sat quietly for a long time, holding his pillow tight, fidgeting with the fabric beneath his fingers while he stared at the wall in front of him. The internal battle happening in his head was intense. Did he lay it all out there, even more than he'd done in the elevator? Or did he attempt to manipulate Gibbs into believing it was something else? Gibbs was good and usually saw right through his bullshit but sometimes Tony could pull one over him. Or had Gibbs just been letting him get away with those fabrications he came up with? Maybe the older man was the one manipulating him. Gibbs knew everything after all.

"I'm tired of bringing home substitutes for you, Gibbs," he said softly. "I'm sorry."

"Rule six," Gibbs said. It was an automatic response and intended for just these situations. Gibbs was a firm believer in standing up for what you believed in and going after what you wanted and making no apologies about it but what to do about Tony? "Wanna order a pizza?"

Tony's head jerked in Gibbs' direction, shocked at the question. He tried to answer but he couldn't get any words out. What was going on?

"Papa Murphy's?" Gibbs asked, standing and heading for the kitchen. He knew Tony kept a magnet with their phone number on his refrigerator.

"I don't understand, Boss."

"Hmm?"

Tony tried to figure out where to start. There were so many cobwebs, so much confusion, so many questions. "Boss, what did I do when you brought me home from Cobalt?" He couldn't take it anymore. He had to know and it was as good a place as any to start.

Gibbs gave the man on the other end of the phone Tony's address, their order and his debit card number then hung up the phone and refocused his attention on Tony. "Sure you wanna know?"

Tony nodded. "Only the good parts—the embarrassing ones."

"The embarrassing parts are the good parts?" Gibbs laughed.

"I figured you'd think those were the good parts," Tony replied. His shoulders were up defensively. He was definitely feeling both vulnerable and uncomfortable.

"You were amusing, I'll give you that," Gibbs said, "but I don't take pleasure in your pain."

"Thank you, Boss."

"You were drunk. People do all kinds of stupid things when they're drunk." It was Gibbs' attempt to reassure Tony before he got to any of the details. "The good parts, as you say, let's see. Dalton said you did a striptease. He caught you after you took your shirt off though. Ya whipped your dick out in front of Cobalt and tried to take a piss in the landscaping. You hugged me—twice. I forget how many times you told me you loved me. You grabbed my crotch."

"Oh shit," Tony mumbled.

"You stripped yourself naked and asked me to come to bed with you," Gibbs continued. He watched as the color drained from Tony's face. "Then I tucked you in and left you to sleep it off." He reached over and rested his hand on Tony's shoulder but Tony flinched away.

"Sorry," Tony said, settling back down. "I just—it's worse than I thought. Did I really grab your crotch?"

"Oh yeah."

"I'm sorry, Boss."

"You're the only person who could do that and still have a hand the next day." Gibbs reached over and rested his hand on Tony's shoulder again but wasn't met with a flinch that time.

"You don't hate me?" Tony asked. "Despise me? Never wanna see me again?" He liked having Gibbs' hand on his shoulder. He loved any touch from Gibbs but he was confused about what was going on. He had no chance with Gibbs and he knew it so why was the guy in his house, ordering him pizza and touching his shoulder?

"Tony, what would I ever do without you?"

"Um, get some peace and quiet, your hair might not've turned gray yet, possibly eliminate a few headaches a week—"

"Try a day," Gibbs teased.

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad, Boss." Tony finally felt himself starting to settle down and Gibbs noticed it as well.

"Think about this past week alone, Tony."

Tony nodded. He'd give him that one. It hadn't been one of his better weeks.

There was a knock at the door and Gibbs stood to answer it. Tony resisted the urge to whimper at the loss of physical contact when Gibbs' hand disappeared. He reached up and touched his shoulder, wanting to touch where Gibbs had touched.

"Got anything to drink?" Gibbs asked as he closed the door after tipping the pizza boy and getting their dinner.

"Beer," Tony answered, "milk but it's probably spoiled, water."

"The milk is tempting but let's go with beer."

"Two beers, coming right up."

Tony disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with two beers and a handful of napkins. He sat down a little closer to Gibbs that time and it didn't go unnoticed by the older man.

"Boss," Tony said about halfway through his first piece of pizza, "it's not that I don't enjoy your company because I do, I really do, but what's going on? What are we doing?"

"I expected to find you snoring on my couch when I woke up on Sunday morning," Gibbs said. "You weren't. We never got to talk. You've had a helluva week. I thought we could talk now."

"But you don't hate me for what I said in the elevator earlier? You're not gonna send me away—get rid of me somehow?"

"Tony, you are the one person on this planet who can drive me crazy faster than I can drink a cup of coffee but you're also one of very few people who puts a smile on my face and who can make me laugh. Despite everything you put me through, I will never hate you and if I ever lost you, there'd be a big hole in my life. I don't know how many more holes I can handle."

"Wow," Tony whispered more to himself than to Gibbs. He wasn't used to Gibbs opening up to him like that but it was helping him feel more at ease. "Boss?"

"What?"

"Please, please don't take this the wrong way. I'm just… I don't know. Are we just hanging out or is this kinda maybe like a date or something?" Something was different about Gibbs. He wasn't acting like Tony had expected. He was positive his confession in the elevator had cost him Gibbs' respect but Gibbs' actions that evening seemed to say something completely different. Tony wanted to know what was going on.

"What do you want it to be, Tony?"

_Damn you, Gibbs,_ Tony thought. Was it really so hard just to get a straight answer out of him? "I think you know what I want. What do you want?"

Gibbs looked over at Tony and their eyes met, their dinner momentarily forgotten. Beating around the bush wasn't going to get them anywhere but neither of them were very good at intimate conversations either so Gibbs decided to show Tony exactly what he wanted. He leaned over and captured Tony's mouth in a kiss. Once the shock wore off Tony kissed back before Gibbs broke the all too brief contact.

"I see," Tony said, grinning from ear to ear.

Before he could say anything else Gibbs rested his hand against Tony's cheek and pulled him into another kiss. Tony swung himself around so he was sitting on top of Gibbs but kept his hips lifted, unsure how far either of them were willing to take things. It was all very new and moving very fast but at the same time it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

"Why didn't you hunt me down sooner?" Tony asked when their kiss broke apart.

"Why didn't you just stay and talk to me?" Gibbs countered. "Why the need to run away?"

"Running away is what I'm good at."

"Not anymore," Gibbs said, almost with a hint of warning in his voice. "If you decide this is what you really want then I want a commitment."

"Meaning? Are you gonna move me in and slap a ring on my finger?"

Gibbs reached up and slapped the back of Tony's head. "Meaning I'm not gonna let you run away when things get rough. You can't hide from me, Tony. If somewhere down the line we decide to split it's going to be after a conversation where we both agree things aren't working. That's the way it's gotta be because we still have to see each other every day."

"You'd really come hunt me down?"

"Oh yeah."

Tony smiled. "I kinda like that. It makes me feel good to know I'm worth that to you."

"Just don't go testing it because I won't be happy if you put me in that situation."

"I won't, Boss."

"Don't call me boss."

"What'm I supposed to call you?"

"I got three names. Pick one."

"Gibbs," Tony said repeating it in his head and imagining himself calling Gibbs that. "Jethro… Leroy… LJ… G-Dawg."

Gibbs reached up and smacked Tony so fast, the younger man didn't have time to brace himself.

"I'm kidding," Tony said with a laugh before getting serious again. "I want something different, something special, something none of your ex-wives called you. I want something that's just between us, unique to you and me."

"My Dad's the only one that's ever called me LJ and he very rarely does that."

"LJ," Tony said. "LJ. LJ. Do you like that? I don't wanna call you something you don't like or that you're not gonna answer to."

"I like it coming out of your mouth," Gibbs said pulling Tony down for another kiss.

Tony opened his mouth into the kiss, inviting Gibbs to explore his mouth further and Gibbs accepted his invitation. Gibbs wrapped his hands around Tony's waist and guided his body down so he was actually sitting on Gibbs' lap, their cocks pressed together through two thick layers of jeans, their bellies and chests touching and their arms wrapped around each other. Gibbs suspected Tony would take it as slow or go as far as he wanted to but after thinking and dreaming and wishing about something he didn't think would ever happen, Gibbs saw no reason to take it slow.

The two broke their kiss and just stared into each others' eyes. Both of them had breathtaking eyes, Tony's green and Gibbs' blue, and both of them expressed a lot more of their emotions with their eyes than they did with their mouths.

"What're ya thinkin'?" Gibbs asked softly.

"I'm thinking I wish I'd been sober when I grabbed your crotch."

Gibbs took Tony's hand and moved it down to the front of his pants. Tony squeezed and rubbed over the rather large bulge in Gibbs' jeans, wishing the jeans weren't in the way. Gibbs pushed Tony's shirt up his chest and pulled it off his arms when Tony raised them. He scraped his blunt fingertips down Tony's chest, making sure to graze his nipples, while Tony ground his hips into Gibbs' letting their cocks rub against each other through their very restricting and now uncomfortably tight jeans.

Gibbs leaned forward and sucked on one of Tony's nipples, forcing a surprised but happy shriek out of Tony's mouth as his hips jutted involuntarily harder into Gibbs'. Once Gibbs was done with one nipple, he moved on to the other one while Tony worked on getting Gibbs' shirt untucked from his pants. He wanted his hands on the firm, powerful core of the man he'd loved from a distance for so long.

"Hop up," Gibbs said once he was done kissing Tony's nipples.

"Where are we going?" Tony asked as he stood.

"Nowhere," Gibbs said. He untucked his shirt and pulled it over his head and Tony followed his lead by shedding his jeans but Gibbs caught him before he got his underwear off. He liked a little mystery and wanted to draw out their first time as long as he could and enjoy every second of it. He knew he wouldn't last long once he got inside Tony. Luckily Tony had decided to wear underwear that day even though it appeared he might need to do some laundry. Gibbs didn't take him for the briefs kind of guy but in true Tony fashion they were just any old pair of briefs. Inscribed across the front was the word 'protein'.

"Lie down," Gibbs said.

"With my underwear on?"

Gibbs nodded.

"Bos—uh—LJ, are we gonna, you know…"

"Make love?"

It was Tony's turn to nod.

"In time," Gibbs said crawling on top of Tony's prone body on the couch. "There's no reason to rush things. We've got all weekend."

Tony wrapped his legs loosely around Gibbs' hips as Gibbs leaned in and kissed him again. Tony's lips were so sweet and his tongue was so soft. Sharing small breaths was incredibly erotic. He let his lips and tongue travel over Tony's jaw line and down his neck as he rocked his hips, brushing their cocks together gently. He didn't want the rough fabric of his jeans to be too uncomfortable on Tony with only the thin layer of underwear separating them from his cock. He pressed kisses all over Tony's chest while one hand explored and the other held him steady. The couch probably wasn't the most comfortable place to be but Tony's couch was a little wider than average and he didn't want to take the time to move.

Tony combed his fingers through Gibbs' hair, still in disbelief about what was happening. He'd prepared himself for another weekend of hell, not finally getting a chance to be with the man he really wanted. As he ran his fingers through Gibbs' hair, he realized Abby was right. Something about Gibbs' hair was really hot. Everything about the man was hot. Tony took pleasure in mussing up Gibbs' hair a bit. He knew the man didn't use a lot of hair products but his hair always seemed to stay in place nicely. It looked good messy and tousled.

As Gibbs crawled back up Tony's body, Tony's hands made their way further down Gibbs' body to his chest and stomach. There were several reasons Tony was so attracted to Gibbs and his tight, well-defined muscles was one of those reasons. Every part of the man was impressive. Tony had the fleeting thought that Gibbs was in such good shape he could probably go through boot camp again and come out on top and it made him smile.

"What's funny?" Gibbs asked.

"Nothing," Tony said tracing his finger over Gibbs' lips. "Just thinkin' about how lucky I am."

Gibbs kissed Tony's finger then leaned over and kissed him. Tony's hands went back to exploring Gibbs' chest, touching and rubbing every part of him, playing with his nipples, tracing his ribs, fingering his naval.

"Can I touch you, LJ?"

_LJ,_ Gibbs loved the way that sounded on Tony's lips. He loved the fact that Tony wanted that special connection, that way to define _their_ relationship and separate it from all his others. "You don't have to ask."

Tony's hands traveled farther down Gibbs' body to the button on his jeans. He wasn't a shy lover, never had been but he kept waiting to wake up from the dream he was having. He was sure at any moment Gibbs would grab his hands and stop him from going any further. He popped the button open then rubbed his hand over Gibbs' jeans covered cock. He wanted to free it so bad but he loved the anticipation that came with not knowing what Gibbs looked like, felt like or tasted like.

Tony's fingers found Gibbs' zipper and he slowly and carefully lowered it. He looked up and his eyes met Gibbs' and the two shared another brief kiss.

"Unwrap your legs from my hips," Gibbs whispered.

Tony obeyed, letting one foot rest on the floor and the other on the couch. Gibbs rested his upper body against Tony's as he shimmied out of his jeans and kicked them off. Underneath were some loose fitting boxer briefs that were quite full in the front. Gibbs' underwear choice didn't surprise Tony in the least. There was something comfortable about a good pair of boxers but Gibbs was old school. He probably preferred to have his dick tucked up against his body instead of hanging free. Tony had had many conversations with Abby about Gibbs' underwear choice. They'd speculated and he vaguely remembered suggesting boxer briefs at some point but it didn't matter. Abby wouldn't be hearing about any of the night's events from him and he wouldn't be sharing Gibbs' underwear choice—at least not right away.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Gibbs asked.

"Just always wondered what kinda underwear you wore," Tony said.

"You and Abby," Gibbs said with an amused grin.

"If you only knew."

"You two have had conversations about my underwear before, haven't you?" Gibbs asked.

Tony blushed.

"That's a yes. Abby doesn't need to learn any personal details."

"Never Boss—LJ, sorry. I respect you more than that. What about you? Are you gonna talk to Ducky about how I measure up?"

"Ducky already knows how you measure up. He's given you a physical before."

"Oh yeah."

"Can we stop talking about the others now?"

"You started it!" Tony teased. "You brought Abby into the conversation."

"You actually started that one," Gibbs said even though he knew Tony was right.

"How?!"

"You started talking about my underwear."

Tony opened his mouth to object but before he could Gibbs' mouth was on top of his, kissing him again. The older man rubbed his crotch against Tony's, enjoying the feel of only having their underwear separating them rather than their jeans.

"Are you clean?" Gibbs asked before kissing Tony again.

"Yes," Tony answered. "You?" Another kiss.

"Yes," Gibbs answered. "Do you bottom?"

"Yes." Another kiss.

"Do you want me to wear a condom?"

"No. I trust you and I've waited too long for this just to be separated by an annoying piece of latex."

"I don't mind." Gibbs didn't want Tony to feel pressured. Although it was rare that he slept with guys, he always wore a condom but this was different. Tony was different.

"I do mind." There was no way Tony wanted that barrier unless Gibbs did. This wasn't some random person he picked up at a club that he'd never call and never see again. This was Gibbs.

"Do you have lube?"

"End table," Tony said reaching behind him. He opened the drawer and Gibbs reached in and grabbed the small bottle and put it within his reach on the floor.

Gibbs rolled just slightly, resting his back against the back of the couch so he could look down at Tony. He ran his hand down the side of Tony's face and front of his neck to his chest. He leaned over and captured one of Tony's nipples with his mouth while his hand continued to move down farther, his abs, his belly button, the trail of soft hairs that disappeared under the elastic of Tony's underwear. He rubbed his hand over Tony's bulge and felt the wet spot where the pre-cum had seeped through.

His mouth moved to Tony's other nipple as the younger man squirmed and moaned over the onslaught of pleasure. Gibbs rubbed his hand down Tony's inner thighs which only caused more squirming. When he'd worked both of Tony's nipples into hard peeks he watched the sensations he was causing in Tony's body. Tony's eyes were closed, his mouth slightly parted, his face contorting in every way imaginable. When Gibbs' fingers were on his nipples, Tony's chest would arch off the couch and into the touch wanting more. When Gibbs' hand moved down to his cock, Tony's hips arched. Tony couldn't think straight and Gibbs was going entirely too slow for his liking.

"Touch me, LJ, please, touch me."

"I am touching you." Gibbs loved teasing Tony. He was so responsive to every little touch.

"My cock."

Gibbs moved his hand firmly down Tony's chest and rubbed his cock through his briefs.

"Take it out," Tony begged.

Gibbs reached down father and rubbed his hand over Tony's balls before rubbing over the length of Tony's shaft and finally freeing his erection from the confines of his underwear. Looking down at Tony, Gibbs saw everything he could have ever hoped for. It was no wonder the younger man had had so many partners. It was strange that they weren't lined up at his door waiting for more.

The ridge of Tony's cock was well defined, the head was shaped perfectly and the bead of precum was irresistible. Gibbs collected it on his finger then brought his finger up to his mouth and licked it off. Tony's eyes were wide in amazement as he watched.

The shaft of Tony's cock was straight, not curved like some guys. There was no doubt in Gibbs' mind that if the elastic of Tony's underwear wasn't holding it in place, his cock would be sticking straight up as hard as Tony was. The vein running down the length of his cock begged to be licked but Gibbs wasn't at an angle that allowed him to reach so instead he traced it with his finger, smiling when Tony's cock strained into him.

Gibbs pushed Tony's underwear down farther. Tony lifted his hips and helped Gibbs remove them completely. Just as Gibbs had suspected, his cock was standing straight up at attention. His balls were shaped just right and begging to be sucked on. Gibbs would explore every inch of Tony with his mouth in due time but now wasn't the time. If they did much more exploring, neither of them were going to last to do anything else.

Gibbs was so caught up in looking at Tony's body that when Tony's hand found his cock he jumped.

"These are in the way," Tony said as he tugged on the boxer briefs.

Gibbs wiggled around until he got his underwear off and tossed them onto the floor with the rest of their clothes. Tony was just as captivated by Gibbs' cock as Gibbs was of Tony's. It curved towards his body ever so slightly and was bigger than any of the other male partners Tony had had. His cock head was perfectly proportionate to the long, thick shaft and the vein added to the character of Gibbs' dick. His slit was oozing precum, helping to lubricate itself for where it apparently knew it was going. In Tony's eyes, there was nothing more perfect.

"Lift your hips up," Gibbs said as he grabbed the pillow from the other end of the couch. He wanted Tony at an angle that would allow him to slide in and out easily. He didn't want to be competing with a couch that tried to swallow them. He pushed the pillow under Tony's hips and Tony relaxed into it.

While Tony stroked Gibbs' cock, Gibbs reached over and retrieved the lube he'd put next to the couch. Gibbs was torn between thrusting into Tony's hand and stretching Tony out so he could be in him. He really wanted to be inside Tony. It had been too long since been with someone that he actually truly cared about.

He lubed his fingers up and rubbed them all over Tony's cock, balls and ass hole then added more lube and focused solely on getting Tony stretched out. Tony whimpered as the first finger went in and Gibbs reveled in how tight he was. He watched Tony's face as he worked his finger in and out of him. Tony's hand fell away from Gibbs' cock as he turned his concentration to what Gibbs was doing to him.

Gibbs added another finger and let Tony adjust before adding a third and working Tony's hole. He stretched him enough to make the experience pleasurable for him but knew Tony was still tight enough it would be heavenly when he sank into his tight heat.

"Are you ready?" Gibbs said softly, pulling Tony from dreamland.

"Yes." It came out as a strangled plea. "Please."

"You gonna stay that hard when I enter you?" Gibbs asked as he settled between Tony's legs.

"I might even get harder," Tony groaned, "if that's possible." He watched as Gibbs lubed himself up. Tony's cock was so hard it wasn't even lying against his body; it was hovering over his belly in an almost painful state as it waited for someone to give it some attention.

"We'll see," Gibbs said as he lined himself up. He pressed the tip of his cock into Tony and watched as the young man practically melted into the couch. Gibbs rubbed his hand over Tony's balls and up the length of his cock, pressing it against Tony's stomach only to watch it pop back up when his hand was gone.

Once the ring of muscles loosened, Gibbs inched himself in further and further until he was fully seated. Tony was tight and hot around him and his moaning and squirming and reaching out in search of anything to grasp onto were all too much for Gibbs.

"Lie still, Tony," Gibbs said, pressing a hand into his hip to hold him down. It almost sounded like he was begging but he had to distract himself. Maybe he'd drawn their first time out too long. Maybe it was because it felt better than he ever could've imagined. Maybe it was because of how deeply he cared for the person lying under him. Whatever it was, Gibbs had to pause or it was all going to be over.

Tony let his breathing even out, resisting the urge to buck and squirm or even reach out for his lover. Gibbs was sitting between his legs, looking down over his body. Tony knew he was trying to pull himself together. Tony knew if it had been him in Gibbs' ass he probably wouldn't have lasted this long. Years of pent up sexual frustration, years of wanting were all being fulfilled in that moment and it was a powerful experience.

As Tony had predicted, his cock was still standing proud, aching and incredibly hard. He was oozing so much precum he wasn't sure if he'd have anything left to ejaculate when the time came. It was the most intense sexual experience of his life. He'd never felt anything so all encompassing. Not only was there physical pleasure, there was emotional joy that came from loving his partner so deeply. This, he decided, was making love. It was a whole body act, not just a little physical pleasure.

Gibbs lowered his body so his chest was resting against Tony's. He framed the younger man's face with his hands and the two shared a series of short kisses before a longer passionate kiss. Gibbs started rocking his hips, easing himself in and out of Tony. The movements were slow and short at first as Gibbs pushed his desire to cum away. He explored Tony's mouth with his tongue, tasting the sweet unique taste of Tony while he mapped out his mouth.

"Tell me when you're gonna cum," Gibbs said as he rested his head against Tony's chest. "Tell me if you need me to stroke you." He wanted to continue to draw things out as long as he could.

Gibbs knew if he watched the expressions on Tony's face that would only push him closer to his own climax and that wasn't what he wanted that time. He would watch Tony cum but until then he would rest his head on Tony's chest and inhale his scent as he focused on his own movements. His strokes had lengthened. He pulled his cock almost all the way out before sinking it back into Tony all the way to the hilt. His entire body was tingling. He pushed his gut out to try to give Tony's cock the friction it needed.

Tony was squirming below Gibbs, rubbing and pushing and working with Gibbs while holding onto the man for dear life with his arms and his legs. The couch didn't leave much room but they didn't need much room. They were pressed so tightly together they probably could've chosen an even smaller surface.

Gibbs kissed and nipped at Tony's neck and collarbone as Tony alternated between stroking his fingers through Gibbs' hair and running his hands all over Gibbs' back, ass and sides. Gibbs movements unintentionally grew a little more intense as his orgasm once again threatened to overtake him. He was just getting ready to try to slow himself down again when he felt Tony's squirming grow more desperate under him.

Gibbs continued to pull almost all the way before pushing back in but his speed increased with his sense of urgency. Every time he pulled his cock back, he dipped his belly, rubbing it roughly over Tony's cock. Tony jutted his hips upwards, gaining more friction for his cock.

Gibbs shifted and altered their angles just enough to put a little more friction on Tony's prostate and it was all over. Tony's mouth opened but no words came out. His eyes slammed shut and Gibbs could feel his hot cum spurting out between their bellies as he watched his lover's face. He continued with his own movements and soon he was following Tony over the edge, releasing himself deep inside his lover with a long, low moan.

Once it was over he collapsed onto Tony's chest, both of them breathing heavy, neither of them able to speak just yet. They laid together, enjoying each other's warmth and comfort while the haze lifted and their minds cleared.

"Wow. That was," Tony paused and thought about it, "indescribable."

Gibbs turned his head and kissed Tony. He felt the same way. There was no other word to describe what had just happened.

"I've never been with anyone who likes to kiss as much as you," Tony said, turning to meet Gibbs' lips.

"Is that good or bad?" Gibbs asked before another quick kiss.

"Good," Tony said. "I like kissing you."

Gibbs smiled and kissed him again before easing himself out so they could both sit up.

"I'm gonna go grab a washcloth," Tony said as he stood. "Don't move and whatever you do, don't cover anything up."

Gibbs laughed to himself as Tony hurried down the hall. Part of him had expected to feel worried and maybe even a little nervous about what they'd just done. There were rules—his own rules. There was their jobs to consider and their friendship but none of that seemed to matter. He was genuinely happy with Tony. Technically they weren't breaking any official rules so Gibbs didn't see any reason, except maybe fear, not to go after what he wanted, what they both wanted.

Tony returned with a washcloth and took great care cleaning Gibbs up before throwing the washcloth into the bathroom at the end of the hall and sitting back down on the couch with Gibbs. There was no hesitation that time. He cuddled himself right up to the other man and Gibbs wrapped an arm around him and held him close. He kissed Tony's temple then laughed to himself as he remembered what Tony had said just before he'd left to get the washcloth. He really couldn't help kissing him.

He actually didn't kiss many people. Abby, but she was like a daughter to him. Ziva, on occasion, for the same reason as Abby. Shannon and Kelly got a lot of kisses but other than that there weren't many people who earned that type of affection from him. Once he took a second to think about it he realized not even his ex-wives had gotten a lot of kisses from him. He took it as more proof of the natural connection he and Tony had. Kisses were a very loving, very intimate gesture in his mind and weren't handed out freely but with Tony it was just a natural thing that happened without Gibbs even thinking about it.

"LJ?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not gonna leave in the middle of the night, are you? I mean, you're not gonna disappear on me, right?"

"Like you did to me?" Gibbs teased. He reached up and smacked the back of Tony's head, catching the younger man completely off guard.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"That was for not getting completely wasted at a gay bar sooner," Gibbs teased. "Just think about how long we could've been enjoying each other and to answer your other question, no, I'm not going anywhere. Not unless we both go."

"For the first time in… forever I feel so peaceful I could fall asleep right now."

"Oh you're not gonna be getting any sleep tonight," Gibbs said with a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Really?" Tony rubbed his hand over Gibbs' abs as he rested his head against the man's chest.

The two sat quietly for awhile, Tony tracing his fingers over Gibbs' ab muscles and through his chest hair and Gibbs rubbing Tony's back and dropping an occasional kiss on his head. It wasn't so much sexual as it was intimate.

"Tony, I'm at peace too. You help me be at peace… when you're not driving me up the wall."

Tony smiled at the added joke but looked up at Gibbs with questioning eyes. Gibbs was never good at sharing his feelings about anything, at least not verbally.

With Tony's mouth in reach, Gibbs kissed him, unable to resist. "I want this to work," he explained. "I'm trying to share stuff. I'm trying."

"Me too," Tony said nestling back in.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Come Home With Me**

Tony was up using the bathroom when he heard a faint knock at his front door. Gibbs was sound asleep in his bed after a night of intense and very passionate almost nonstop lovemaking. Tony pulled the bedroom door closed and headed down the hall, forgetting he was naked until he made it to the front door. He opened the door and only poked his head around, hiding the rest of himself behind the door.

"Oh, hey, Abs," he said groggily.

"Hey," Abby said. "Just stopped by to check on you. You don't look so good."

"I'm fine. I just got up."

Abby gave him a weird look but let it slide. "Was that Gibbs' car I saw in the parking lot?" she asked.

"Um, if it was he isn't in here. Might be seeing one of my neighbors though. My bet would be on the crazy cat lady in 3B."

"Gibbs doesn't like cats."

"Well he's not the only one in DC that drives a Dodge Charger, Abs. Did you come to see me or him?"

"You. Are you gonna invite me in?"

"I'm kinda naked."

"Who answers their door naked, Tony?"

"Apparently I do," Tony said with a smile. "Especially when someone wakes me up."

"Excuse me," Abby said playfully. "I thought if I waited until 11:00 that you'd be up. You weren't drinking again last night, were you?"

"I had a beer with my pizza but nothing like last weekend," Tony assured her. "Look, if you want me to invite you in I will but you gotta give me a couple minutes to go get dressed first."

"Okay, I'll wait."

Tony closed the door then as quickly and quietly as he could he scurried around the living room and collected all the clothes he and Gibbs had left lying around. He hurried back to his bedroom and dumped them on the floor.

"LJ," he said leaning over the bed where Gibbs was still sleeping. It had been a long night and no sleep had been involved, not until 7:00 that morning anyways. "LJ, wake up."

Gibbs groaned and pulled Tony's face down by his for a kiss. Tony kissed back, his cock starting to stir but he had Abby to deal with. "What're you doing out of bed? Do I need to spank you?"

Tony smiled. The thought of that happening was almost enough to distract him from their visitor. "Abby's at the door. Unless you want her to know you spent the night, stay here and I'll get rid of her as quick as I can."

"Okay but hurry back," Gibbs said. He took Tony's hand and rubbed it over his growing erection. "Otherwise I might have to take things into my own hands."

"Don't you dare," Tony said as he squeezed Gibbs' cock. "Mine. I'll take care of you when I get back."

Gibbs swatted Tony's ass as he turned and Tony let out a high pitched squeal. "Don't make me go out there with a hard-on."

Gibbs just laughed as he watched Tony pull the pair of jeans from last night on. He didn't waste time on underwear or even a t-shirt. He pulled the bedroom door closed then hurried back down the hall to the front door.

"Welcome," he said opening the door for Abby. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Tony, it's nearly lunch time."

"Okay, fine, would you like some lunch?"

"I don't know. What do ya got?"

"Um, I have some leftover pizza from last night but it's been sitting out and I don't know if it's any good."

Abby eyed the nearly full box of pizza and knew something strange was going on. Tony could down almost an entire box by himself but this particular box was only missing two pieces and both of those pieces were only half eaten and sitting in the lid.

"What's going on, Tony?"

"What do mean?" Tony asked from the kitchen where he was starting the coffee.

Abby stepped into the kitchen and eyed him carefully. "That pizza in there was barely touched."

"Guess I wasn't that hungry last night," Tony said. _Or maybe I just got interrupted by hours of mind blowing sex,_ he thought.

"Then how come you ate half of two pieces instead of one whole piece? Was somebody here with you?"

"Why are you interrogating me?" Tony asked, deflecting her question. He hadn't had nearly enough to sleep to deceive her successfully and she was asking way too many questions.

"Because last weekend you showed up at my place looking like hell and feeling even worse after Gibbs drug you out of a bar and I know you've had a really hard week. I just wanted to make sure you were doing better this weekend."

"Much," Tony said with a serious nod. "I'm feeling a lot better. I finally managed to get a little rest and I'm okay with everything that happened. I came to terms with it. It's in the past. I can't change it. Why freak out about it anymore? What's our motto?"

"Life is too short not to have fun," Abby said.

Tony pulled her into a hug, happy that she seemed to be buying that he was okay. He didn't need her asking a lot of questions or analyzing him or anything like that. He needed to get rid of her so he could return to bed with Gibbs and help him with his morning erection.

"Okay," Abby said, "I'll let you, uh, go back to bed or clean up or whatever you gotta do today. I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. Call or come over if you need anything. Love ya, Tony."

"Love you too, Abs," Tony said kissing her cheek. "Thanks for checking on me. You're a great friend. And laundry. That's what I have to do today. I'm out of underwear."

"Did you wear the underwear that says protein on it?" Abby asked with a grin.

"Yesterday," Tony answered.

Abby laughed and gave him one last hug before leaving.

Tony locked the door behind Abby then shucked his jeans on the way down the hall. The coffee would still be there later. He knew they would need to eat soon but knowing what was waiting for him in the bedroom made food the last thing on his mind. Sex first, food later. He decided he might have to come up with his own list of rules and that would definitely be one of them.

He opened the bedroom door and walked right into Gibbs who was standing there.

"Oof," Tony grunted as Gibbs wrapped his arms around him to keep him from falling. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I've got a better question. How does Abby know what your underwear looks like?"

There was a possessive tone in Gibbs' voice that Tony decided he really liked. "She bought them for me," Tony answered, "gag gift."

"I approve," Gibbs said, "as long as she doesn't see you in them."

"Never," Tony replied with a smile. "Now, what are you doing out of bed?"

"You were taking too long," Gibbs said before leaning in for a quick kiss.

"I was only gone for five minutes," Tony pointed out. Another kiss and even after a night of intense lovemaking, Tony could feel Gibbs' erection poking into his thigh just from the kisses.

"That was five minutes too long."

"Mr. Impatient," Tony said with a grin, "I like it."

Gibbs kissed Tony again, drawing it out as he rocked their bodies together. He grabbed Tony's ass and held his lover's body against his own. Tony moaned into the kiss as Gibbs held them tightly together.

"Shower," Gibbs said. "Two birds, one stone."

"Or perhaps just an excuse for some steamy shower sex?" Tony asked as he took Gibbs' hand and led him towards the bathroom.

"Perhaps," Gibbs said.

Tony turned the water on then Gibbs pulled him into another kiss while they waited for it to warm up. Tony ran his fingers down Gibbs' sides before making it down to his core and running his hand over his cock. Gibbs' hard-on was impressive after the thorough workout it had had.

"Are you ready for me?" Gibbs asked.

Tony answered by pushing his cock up next to Gibbs', wrapping his hand around both of them and stroking. He was always ready for anything Gibbs wanted to do.

"You feel so good," Gibbs breathed out, rocking his hips in rhythm with Tony's hand.

Tony brushed his thumb over the heads of their cocks, first his own and then Gibbs'. The intimate touch of the extra sensitive area forced them both to moan. With his thumb coated in both their precum, Tony brought it to his mouth and sucked on it. Gibbs groaned as he watched the intimate display then pulled him in for a kiss wanting a taste too.

The two stepped into the shower together and Gibbs immediately wrapped his arm around Tony's waist and pulled their bodies together again. With Tony's back pressed into his chest he reached down and made sure Tony was still stretched out then rubbed his cock over Tony's opening, using his precum as lube, before pushing in.

"Oh yeah," Tony groaned. He arched his back, jutting his ass out towards Gibbs, allowing Gibbs to push deep inside him. Tony had been with men before and he'd bottomed before on a couple occasions but he'd never experienced anything even remotely close to what he had with Gibbs.

Being intimate with Gibbs had taken things to a whole new level that Tony hadn't even realized existed, whether they were just lying down together, wrapped up in each other's arms or making love. Tony knew he'd never be satisfied with any other lover again. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he realized he never wanted to be with anyone else ever again. If there was such a thing as soul mates then Gibbs was most definitely his. They connected on so many different levels, they fit together perfectly and Tony was finally happy and content.

Gibbs ran his hands over Tony's chest as the younger man leaned back into him. Tony laid his head back on Gibbs' shoulder and rested his foot on the seat in the shower. The seat was far too small to sit comfortably on and Tony had often wondered what purpose it held but his foot fit there perfectly and the extra stability it offered and angle it put his body at was just right.

Gibbs loved making love to Tony as the heated water cascaded down over their bodies. Water had always been a turn on for him. Something about it really got him going. Sure, it made it harder to stay lubricated but playing in the water was a surefire way to get him excited. He moved his hands up to Tony's chest, scraping across his nipples before pinching and rubbing them. He wished he could reach them with his tongue but he was enjoying the current position they were in too much to move.

When Gibbs slid his hands back down to Tony's abs, Tony grabbed onto his wrist and pushed it down to his cock. He was so close and so turned on he was sure he could've come without his cock even being touched but he longed to feel Gibbs' hand on his dick. He wanted Gibbs' hands everywhere, touching every part of his body.

Gibbs kissed Tony's neck as he watched himself stroke Tony's cock. He'd been enjoying watching Tony's cock bounce as he pumped into him but Tony was ready for more and he was too. He moved his other hand down to Tony's balls, rubbing and tugging while he stroked Tony's cock, twisting and brushing his thumb through Tony's slit every few strokes. Tony didn't know whether to thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock into Gibbs' hand or backwards, pushing Gibbs' cock deeper into his ass. He wanted both.

Gibbs continued with the kissing, touching, tugging and stroking while he pumped into him, each stroke strong and deliberate. With each stroke he pulled out to the tip before quickly pushing back in, keeping his pace even as his hands worked Tony's body.

Tony could feel himself barreling towards release. He'd held on, prolonging the powerful sensations for as long as he could but he was so close. He grabbed onto Gibbs' wrists, digging in in an unconscious effort to tell his lover he was right on the verge. Gibbs felt Tony's balls get tighter in his hand. He felt the fingers digging into his arm and the tension in Tony's body. He could see and feel every part of Tony's release as his hand and arm and Tony's chest were covered in thick, creamy white.

Tony's muscles contracting around him along with everything he'd just witnessed made it impossible for Gibbs to hold out any longer. With his hands on Tony's hips to steady both of them he pounded into Tony relentlessly, filling him with everything he had to offer. Part of him wished they were on a soft surface so they could just collapse into each other when it was all over but he'd settle for just holding onto Tony for dear life. The only thing keeping them upright was knowing how much it would hurt if they fell.

Gibbs kissed Tony's neck and then his shoulder, trying to gage where his mind was at. He'd learned that Tony could get himself pretty lost in his post-orgasmic haze and sometimes Gibbs had to encourage him back to reality. "You with me, Tony?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Was that good?"

"Good isn't the right word," Tony said, whimpering as Gibbs pulled out of him, "but I don't know what the right word is."

Gibbs continued holding Tony close to him. He wasn't ready to let go yet and wasn't sure if he ever would be. He hadn't felt so strongly connected to someone since Shannon and as much as that scared him, he didn't ever want to lose that feeling again. Perhaps it was losing Tony, losing that connection, that feeling of inner peace and contentment that was the scary part.

"You okay?" Tony asked.

Gibbs kissed Tony's shoulder again, breathing in as much of his scent as he could without sucking any water up his nose. "I've never been more okay," he answered. "I'm just enjoying having you in my arms."

"I'm enjoying it too, but if we don't hurry up and get washed up, we're going to end up taking an ice cold shower."

Gibbs was actually surprised the water hadn't turned cold already but glad. That really would've put a damper on things. He let Tony go after one more kiss only to be greeted with another kiss when Tony turned and pressed their lips together.

"If you keep doing that we're never gonna get any breakfast," Gibbs said.

"You can eat when you're dead," Tony said.

"You can sleep when you're dead," Gibbs corrected. "If you wait till you're dead to eat, you're gonna end up that way a whole lot sooner. I think all this sex has fried your brain."

"Maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to never let you go."

Gibbs leaned in and kissed Tony again before answering. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

"Where are we going?" Tony asked as Gibbs grabbed his wallet and car keys.

"I figured we could go to my diner," Gibbs said.

Tony's eyes widened in surprise. "You—you're taking me to your diner?"

"Did you wanna go somewhere else?"

"No, it's just that… I wasn't sure if you'd wanna, you know, take me there… be seen with me there."

"Tony, It's not like I'm gonna bend you over the table and take you right there in the middle of everything. It's tempting but I don't like an audience and I'm most definitely not going to hide you or sneak around with you like I'm ashamed or have something to hide."

Tony reached out and rested his hand against Gibbs' chest as he looked into the older man's eyes. He wanted to say something but he didn't know what.

Gibbs leaned in and gave Tony one of the sweetest, most loving kisses he'd ever received. "Ready?"

The only thing Tony could manage to do was nod.

* * *

"Elaine, this is Tony," Gibbs introduced as they entered the diner. "You're probably going to be seeing quite a bit of him."

"Welcome, Tony," Elaine said. "It's wonderful to have you here. Make yourself at home and please don't be shy."

"Thank you." Tony looked around, feeling a little uncomfortable. He'd never been to the place before but it was obviously Gibbs' go to place. It was small. There were several seats at the counter and one row of booths along the opposite wall. The same logo that was on Gibbs' ever-present cup of coffee was hanging on the wall. It looked pretty much exactly like a traditional diner you'd find in every town across America a few decades prior. It was comfortable and homey.

Tony followed Gibbs to a booth and the two sat down. Gibbs immediately picked up on Tony's uneasiness and wondered what was going on with him. He hadn't been acting strange at the house. What had happened between the time they'd left his apartment and arrived at the diner? Was it just the fact that they were out in public together? Gibbs remembered Tony being surprised that he was bringing him to his diner. Gibbs realized he'd assured Tony that he wasn't ashamed of what they had but what if Tony wasn't quite ready for the world to know?

"Are you okay, Tony? You seem awfully uncomfortable." Gibbs lowered his voice and leaned closer. "Are you wanting to keep us a secret?"

"It's not that," Tony said. "I just don't wanna be pushy."

"You're not pushing," Gibbs said, "and you're not gonna scare me off. Have you changed your mind? Is this not something you want?"

"No!" Tony said firmly. "It's not that. It's not that at all."

Elaine approached their table, temporarily halting their conversation. "Can I get you guys some breakfast?" she asked as she poured them both some coffee. "Jethro, eggs over easy?"

"Yeah, that and uh, bacon, sausage, maybe some hash browns and toast."

"Hungry?" Elaine asked with an amused smile.

"I worked up quite an appetite. Need some fuel to get me through the day."

"Coming right up. Tony, are you just as hungry as Jethro?"

Tony smiled and nodded. "I'll have the same thing he's having."

"Okay, I'll put this right in for you guys," Elaine said scribbling on her order pad.

"Thanks Elaine," Gibbs said. He watched her leave then turned back to Tony. "Talk to me, Tony."

"I—" Tony paused, trying to figure out how to put his thoughts into words. "Why did you come over to my place last night?"

"I told you, I thought we needed to have a little talk."

"We did a lot more than talk," Tony pointed out. "Why? Why did we do a lot more than talk? I mean…" he lowered his voice even more even though there was no one around, "you didn't just do that for me, did you?"

"What?" Gibbs asked angrily. Lack of food apparently meant Tony's brain wasn't functioning properly. "Come here," Gibbs said crooking his finger at Tony so he'd lean across the table. As soon as Tony leaned forward Gibbs reached around and smacked the back of his head.

"Ow!" Tony shrieked rubbing his head. That hadn't been a playful head slap, Gibbs meant business.

"That's for being an idiot!" Gibbs scolded, the anger still burning in his eyes. "If you think I would spend all night with you, screwing each other's brains out just to placate you, you obviously don't know me very well."

"When you put it like that I can definitely see how stupid I sounded," Tony admitted still rubbing the back of his head. "I'm sorry, LJ, I just, I wanna make sure this is what you want too. I wanna make sure we're both happy and having fun."

"Am I having fun? Yes," Gibbs said losing some of the anger from his voice, "but this isn't a game for me Tony. There's too much at stake. Your emotions are much more important to me than a night of passionate fun. I'm right where I wanna be, doing exactly what I wanna be doing."

"I'll try not to be such an idiot in the future," Tony said, clearly feeling ashamed.

"Uh-huh," Gibbs said, the playfulness finally returning to his voice. He tapped Tony under the chin and smiled when at him when he looked up.

Elaine dropped their breakfasts off then retrieved the jelly for their toast and ketchup if they wanted it for their eggs or potatoes. She refilled their coffee and the creamer which Tony had pretty much emptied into one cup of coffee then left them to eat.

"So you really don't mind telling the others about us?" Tony asked as he spread some jelly out on his toast.

"I don't care if they know as long as you don't care," Gibbs said around a mouthful of eggs. "I'm not gonna announce it to them as soon as I get off the elevator on Monday morning but at some point in the future I don't have a problem with them knowing."

"Maybe we could give us a little time to get used to all this before we share it with them," Tony suggested.

Gibbs nodded his agreement. From the outside looking in they were moving incredibly quick but they'd known each other for years and their current relationship had been brewing under the surface ever since the first time they'd met. If anyone took the time to look at their whole story, they both deserved a head slap for going so slow. It was no wonder things were so explosive once they'd finally given in.

The two ate in comfortable silence, devouring their food. Neither realized how hungry they actually were until they took their first bite. They'd never tasted food so good before. Maybe it was the diner, maybe it was because they were both so hungry or maybe it was because they were finally together but everything seemed better. Food was more flavorful, colors were brighter, emotions were more intense—everything was different.

When Gibbs' plate was nearly empty he reached across the table and ran his finger lightly across Tony's knuckles. "Come home with me," he said. "I don't wanna wake up alone ever again. I don't wanna eat alone or come home to a dark, empty house, or hide in my basement, tormenting myself over the past. I wanna hug you and kiss you and hold you whenever I feel like it. I wanna be able to roll over and screw each other's brains out whenever we wake up in the middle of the night. I wanna share every part of my day with you and I wanna be there for every part of yours. Come home with me, Tony."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Secret Recipes and Simple Realizations **

Tony sat paralyzed in the booth at the diner, repeating Gibbs' words over and over again. _Come home with me._ He knew Gibbs wasn't asking about a day or even a weekend, he was asking for a commitment, the 'c' word, one of the scariest words in the English language.

Could Tony do that? He was happy but he wasn't sure if he trusted himself not to screw it up. He didn't want to hurt Gibbs or fail him the way he'd obviously failed Wendy and Jeanne. That was probably his biggest fear. All the other stuff sounded nice though, the hugs and kisses, cuddling, making love at all hours of the day and night. In theory it sounded perfect, it felt perfect too but Tony knew nothing was perfect. It all felt too natural to give up though. It felt like he and Gibbs had been together for years. Sure, they fought on occasion but they always got over it. They'd been through more together in the context of their job than most couples had in their entire lives. Sometimes it took a little effort but they always made it work.

Tony realized Gibbs' index finger was still rubbing over his knuckles. He took Gibbs' hand in both of his and examined his palm and calloused fingers. He pulled it to his mouth and pressed a kiss to it, smiling when Gibbs brushed his fingers across his lips as his hand was lowered back to the table.

"Okay," Tony said, "but only if you tell me the secret to how you make your steak so damn good."

"You bribing me?"

"Asking," Tony said with a smile. "LJ, will you share your secret steak recipe with me?"

"I'll show you tonight, as long as we're not busy doing something else," Gibbs said.

* * *

It didn't take long at all to get Tony moved into Gibbs' house. He hadn't brought everything, just a few necessities like his clothes, his laptop, his guitar, his jazz records, his extensive movie collection and his large, flat screen TV. His furniture stayed at his old apartment for the time being. Neither of them wanted to deal with that and there was no need. There'd been no talk of Tony giving up his apartment. He was right in the middle of his lease agreement and neither were ready to really talk about the long term commitment giving up Tony's apartment would symbolize. It was implied that he'd never spend a night there again but to take it away at that point felt a bit intimidating.

Gibbs spent Saturday afternoon shopping while Tony got settled in. His refrigerator didn't even contain a carton of spoiled milk. It was emptier than Tony's. He needed steak if he and Tony were going to cook that night, cereal because occasionally he enjoyed a bowl before bed, coffee and some hazelnut creamer for Tony, a little alcohol and maybe a few other things to get them through the week. He hated stopping by the store after work and he knew he'd hate it even more now that he had someone to go home with.

Once Gibbs was gone, Tony wandered casually around Gibbs' house—his new house, their house. Gibbs had told him to make himself at home, unpack and get settled in but it felt a bit weird to be there without Gibbs. Snooping around work and his coworkers personal lives was one thing but this really felt like snooping. He was alone, at Gibbs' house and nothing was off limits.

He grabbed the suitcases with his dirty clothes and dumped them out in the middle of the living room floor then realized he should've dumped them out by the washing machine. He shrugged it off and started sorting, using the suitcases to separate the colors.

After getting a load of laundry going, he took the garment bags up to Gibbs' bedroom. He gulped at what he saw. The mattress in the master bedroom was bare. Gibbs must've stripped the bed after Tony had slept there the previous weekend. There were a few stacks of boxes in the room and Gibbs obviously didn't use it for anything more than storing his clothes and dressing. Tony couldn't remember if the boxes had been there before or not. He'd been far too drunk.

It was his first time being in Gibbs' room while sober and for a moment he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to feel like he was trying to replace someone or like he was invading Gibbs' territory but the man had told him to unpack and make himself at home. He'd even cleared out half of the double dresser to make room before he'd left.

Tony walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer on the side closest to the door. Gibbs' underwear were neatly folded on one side and his socks lined up on the other. Tony was pretty sure the perfect precision would pass a military inspection. He opened the drawer next to it and found it empty, waiting for his underwear. Tony was anxious to put some in there but he had none that were clean so he'd have to wait.

He walked over to the closet and was surprised at what he found behind the door. It was actually a decent sized walk-in closet with racks on both sides. On Gibbs' side there were the polos he loved so much along with his suits and even several button up shirts. Tony looked through them making mental notes of the ones he really liked and the ones he hoped Gibbs would never wear again then turned and looked at the empty side—his side.

He unpacked his garment bags, arranging his suits in the same way he had at his house then lined his shoes up and started unpacking his socks, t-shirts and jeans into his side of the double dresser. Once his clothes all had a place he took his toiletries into the en-suite bathroom. There was a double sink, one side with Gibbs' things and the other empty. Tony once again hesitated, wondering if it was okay for him to use the empty side but in the end decided to unpack. Gibbs had told him to make himself at home after all.

He finished up in the bathroom and heard Gibbs downstairs. He hurried down the stairs, happy Gibbs was back. It wouldn't be so weird being there with his lover. Gibbs was just pushing the front door closed with his foot when Tony made it down the stairs.

"Hey," Tony greeted. "Got any more bags in the car?"

"Hey," Gibbs said leaning in for a kiss. "This is the last load."

Tony followed Gibbs into the living and his mouth fell open. "Wow. You uh, you got a lot of stuff. What is all this?"

Gibbs dropped the bags in his hand near the others and hugged Tony before unpacking. The short time they'd been apart had been too long. "You getting' yourself settled in?" he asked as he and Tony held each other.

"Working on it," Tony said. "Some of it seems a little weird."

Gibbs didn't waste any time slapping the back of Tony's head. He knew exactly what Tony was thinking. "Don't feel weird," he said. "You're welcome here. I _want_ you here."

"Got it," Tony said. He loved the head slap. The head slap always told him when he was being stupid. It always reassured him.

Gibbs kissed him again before letting him go and starting in on the things he'd bought. "I got some ridiculously expensive sheets," he said pulling them out of the bag and handing them to Tony. "They better be worth it."

"These are Egyptian cotton, Bo—LJ. They're top of the line. You're not gonna find anything more comfortable."

"Good. We're gonna be spending a lot of time in bed. I wanna be comfortable. I got a down comforter because, well, it seemed like the best option."

"Nice," Tony said.

"I got some fluffy pillows and flat ones because I didn't know which you preferred."

"Are you sure about all this?" Tony interrupted.

"About what?"

"Sleeping upstairs, in that bed, your bed, _the_ bed…"

Gibbs smiled. He wasn't used to seeing Tony so uneasy. "First of all, that's not the bed I slept in with Shannon."

"It's not?"

"Nope. Diane picked the mattresses and I built the frame, after Shannon was gone."

"Oh."

"Tony, relax. This is your home now as much as it's mine. Yes, we are going to sleep in the master bedroom, together. The reason I slept on the couch before was because it was just easier but we're not both gonna fit on the couch and I wanna sleep with my lover."

"I'm being an idiot again, aren't I?" Tony asked.

"You're trying to settle in," Gibbs said, "but yes, you're being an idiot again."

"I'm working on that."

"Good," Gibbs said. "Now help me take this stuff upstairs."

Gibbs got Tony to help him move the boxes to one of the spare rooms then they made the bed together. Just those two simple things already made it look and feel more like a bedroom. Once the bedroom was in order, they headed back downstairs again. Tony switched his laundry while Gibbs took stock of the living room. Tony had a lot of movies and he had absolutely nowhere they could put them.

"I'll build you some shelves for your movies," Gibbs told Tony while he got the steaks out and ready. "We can put them along the wall in front of the couch and mount your TV over them."

"You don't have to do all that," Tony said.

"They're important to you. I want you to have somewhere to put 'em."

"Thanks."

"Alright, sea salt and fresh ground peppercorns on the steak," Gibbs said as he seasoned the meat. "The cut of meat you choose is important. If you get a good cut of meat, you'll end up with a good steak."

"Good cut of meat, salt and pepper," Tony repeated.

"Fire's going in the living room. You need to let it burn until your logs catch fire. Don't try to cook over a little bit of kindling in there."

"Got it," Tony said.

"We'll put these on and right before they're done cooking we'll pour a little beer over them and that's it."

"No, no, no, no," Tony said. "I've done all that and it never tastes the same as yours. There's gotta be something else you do."

Gibbs smirked at Tony. He hadn't realized how much effort the younger man had put into trying to figure out his recipe and he was flattered. "What do you cook on?"

"I've tried everything," Tony said. "Stovetop, oven, grill—gas and charcoal."

"What do I cook on?"

"Your fireplace," Tony said, not understanding where Gibbs was going with this.

"That's what I cook in. What's my heat source?"

Tony thought and then it hit him. "Wood," he said with a smile.

Gibbs smiled as he saw realization hit Tony. "Different types of wood give different flavors to your meat."

"I should've known that with you it had to be something ridiculously simple but it makes perfect sense."

"You gonna go telling everybody now?" Gibbs asked.

"No way!" Tony said. "I like the idea of me being the only one who knows your secret. I also like the idea of being able to wow people and I don't want them to know how easy it is."

"Not much of a secret, Tony," Gibbs said as the two headed for the living room. "You guys have all watched me cook."

"Well it tastes like you've mastered some amazing recipe that all the top chefs would want to keep top secret."

"Thank you. I'm glad you like it."

* * *

Monday morning came far too soon for Gibbs and Tony's liking. They'd spent the weekend settling into life together, making love repeatedly and relaxing in the comfort of knowing they were no longer trying to go through life alone. Work would be a new adventure though. Things were changing all around them but they couldn't let on that anything was different. They'd decided not to tell their coworkers just yet and didn't want to give anything away.

Gibbs was standing in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to brew when Tony came downstairs. Gibbs took one look at him and all he could think about was ravaging his body. Tony's hair was damp from the shower and he smelled like his body wash and cologne. His tie was draped around his neck and the collar of his still untucked shirt was flipped up on one side. Being wet was one of Gibbs' biggest turn-ons and Tony's strong scent only added to his desire.

"Strip," he said gruffly.

"What? Here? Now? We're gonna be late."

"I don't care," Gibbs said, already unbuttoning Tony's shirt for him.

Tony's smile turned to a laugh as Gibbs pushed his shirt over his arms. Tony tossed it over the nearby chair then pulled his undershirt off as Gibbs started in on his pants.

"You gonna get naked too?" Tony asked.

"Naked enough to take you over this table," Gibbs answered undoing his own belt and pants while Tony threw his pants over the chair with his shirt.

Tony captured Gibbs' lips in a kiss as he reached down to stroke his lover's cock. Gibbs moaned into the kiss and his body bucked into Tony's hand. He knew that sometimes with time the desire faded and the touches weren't as electrifying but it hadn't been that way with Shannon and he knew it wasn't going to be that way with Tony either. Every touch was like a jolt of electricity going through his body.

Gibbs deepened the kiss as he blindly searched for the lube on the table. After a weekend of making love in just about every room in the house, there was lube conveniently located all over the place. Tony pushed Gibbs' layers of shirts up, wanting his hands on his lover's bare chest. Their kiss broke and Tony immediately had one of Gibbs' nipples in his mouth. Gibbs spotted the lube and grabbed it with one hand while he held Tony's head to his chest with the other hand. There was a sense of urgency knowing they had to go to work but Gibbs wasn't going to rush things unnecessarily.

"Turn around," Gibbs said when Tony released his nipple.

Tony obeyed and immediately felt Gibbs' hand on his back, bending him over the table. Gibbs stepped back and took a moment to admire the sight before him.

"Beautiful," he muttered running his hand down Tony's back and over his ass.

Gibbs pushed his pants and underwear down then squirted some lube in his hand and slicked himself up. He drizzled some over Tony's hole then lined himself up and pushed in. Tony moaned happily below him and grabbed onto the edges of the table to brace himself.

Gibbs didn't waste any time pumping into Tony. Tony was still stretched out from making love in the middle of the night and they were both regretting skipping making love that morning. Gibbs decided from then on he would wake Tony by making love to him. It would get their day started on the right foot.

Tony rested his head on the table and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of Gibbs riding him. The hard, fast rhythm was exhilarating and the angle they were at was causing a lot of pressure against his prostate or maybe it was just Gibbs' skillful strokes. The man always seemed to know just how to move to maximize the pleasure.

"Feels so good, LJ," Tony hummed.

Gibbs pulled Tony's ass cheeks apart so he could watch himself glide in and out. Tony jutted his hips up and out allowing Gibbs to go deeper. Grunts, moans and the sound of Gibbs' balls slapping against Tony's body were all that could be heard.

When Gibbs was done watching himself pump in and out of Tony he wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and grabbed onto his cock. "I love how hard you get for me," he said before kissing Tony's neck. "I love how you get even harder when I'm inside you." He grabbed Tony's balls with his other hand, rubbing and tugging and twisting ever so slightly.

"LJ," Tony cried out desperately. He was so close, right on the verge. Everything was being rubbed and tugged and stroked in all the right ways and Gibbs talking dirty in his ear was even more of a turn on. He held onto the table tighter.

Gibbs could feel every muscle in Tony's body tensing and knew he was close. He heard a sharp intake of air before his hand soon filled with Tony's thick, hot wetness as his lover moaned his name over and over again. Gibbs let himself go while Tony came down from his high. He pushed himself as deep into Tony as he could and cried out as he filled his younger lover.

Tony felt Gibbs' head resting on his back as they both tried to catch their breath. After what had just happened, Monday suddenly didn't seem so bad. He felt kisses being pressed to his back and shoulders as Gibbs pulled out of him. He hated that part. If there was a way for him to stay connected to Gibbs forever he wouldn't hesitate to do it. He felt Gibbs' cum seeping out of his hole and sighed.

"Stay put," Gibbs said softly, "I'll clean ya up."

Tony had no problem with that. He didn't feel like moving anyways and it meant Gibbs' hands would be on his body again.

Gibbs wet a paper towel and cleaned himself up before fixing his pants and wetting another paper towel to clean Tony up with.

"You go ahead and head to work," Gibbs said as he wiped Tony up. "I'll stop for coffee. Might raise some eyebrows if we both arrive late at the same time."

"We could call in sick, you know," Tony suggested.

"That would definitely raise some eyebrows."

"I don't mean to get all sentimental but that was amazing, just like this whole weekend's been."

"It's not gonna stop just 'cause we gotta go to work," Gibbs said.

"I don't know what you mean by that but I can't wait to find out," Tony said as he pulled his pants on, tucked his shirt in and got himself put back together.

Gibbs pulled him in for one last kiss before turning him around and swatting his ass. "Get outta here," he said playfully. "Your boss might punish you if you're late."

"Say stuff like that and I'll be late every day," Tony said with a laugh.

* * *

"You are late," Ziva said as Tony dropped his bag behind his desk and sat down.

"Rough weekend, Tony—again?" Tim asked.

"None of your business, McGoo."

"Touchy," Ziva said.

"Must be serious," Tim added.

This was the second week in a row Tony hadn't bragged about his weekend hook-ups. Last week he'd seemed stressed and on the verge of a complete meltdown. Now he looked happy, satisfied and more at peace than Tim had ever seen him. Tim wasn't sure what but something was definitely going on with Tony.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Here? Now?**

Tim and Ziva waited for Gibbs to go to his meeting with Vance then both moved over to the front of Tony's desk and stared at him. Tony tried to ignore them but it was quickly becoming clear they weren't going anywhere.

"Can I help you?" he asked, not looking up from his paperwork.

Both Tim and Ziva remained quiet until Tony finally looked up.

"Any big movie news?" Tim asked. "New Bond film or something?"

"What? Um, no."

"Is your father in town again?" Ziva asked.

"No," Tony said, drawing the word out. "I don't know what you two are up to but I'm kinda busy here."

"That settles it," Tim said. "No movie news, Senior's not around, Gibbs'll be busy with Vance for at least the next hour and you're working away…"

"Where did you meet this one, Tony?" Ziva asked.

"Meet this one of what? What are you guys talking about?"

"You're acting strange," Tim said.

"Whenever you stop bragging about your sex life and get all serious with your work it usually means you are in a serious relationship," Ziva said. "Who is she?"

"Where'd you pick her up?"

"When do we get to meet her?"

"Not that it's any of your business but there is no new girl in my life," Tony said. "Now, if you two will excuse me I need to go see Abby."

Tony stood and headed for the elevator, leaving Tim and Ziva still wondering what was going on with him. He didn't really need to see Abby. He just wanted to get away from them and all their obnoxious questions. He got off the elevator and was immediately greeted by Abby's music.

He walked up behind her and wrapped both arms around her making her squeal.

"Tony!" she shrieked, stopping the music.

"Hey, how are ya?"

"As good as can be for a Monday morning," Abby said. "What's the occasion? What did I do to earn myself a visit from a very special agent this bright and early?"

"I was kinda hoping you'd let me hang out here for a little while," Tony said. "McGee and Ziva wanna play twenty questions and I'm not in the mood."

"Only because you are hiding something and you are afraid we will find out your secret," Ziva said entering the lab with Tim.

Tony rolled his eyes and groaned. "Why are you two stalking me?"

"What's going on here?" Abby asked. Her hands were firmly planted on her hips as if she were a parent waiting for an explanation from their child.

"Tony's been acting strange for two weeks now," Tim explained.

"He has not been telling us all about his sex life," Ziva said.

"Last week he was acting like it was the end of the world," Tim added. "This week he's walkin' on sunshine."

"Really, McGee? Walkin' on sunshine?" Tony asked. "You guys can all stand around and gossip about me all you want but I'm going back to work."

Tim, Ziva and Abby watched Tony hurry out of the lab and back into the waiting elevator.

"Do you know what's going on, Abs?" Tim asked.

"No," Abby said. She knew some of what was happening. She knew why he was such a mess the previous week but the fact that he was completely better definitely intrigued her. Pulling Tony out of his funk was usually a process. Something big must've happened for such a quick turnaround. At any rate she wasn't going to rat him out to Tim and Ziva. She and Tony were tight and didn't share each other's secrets. She would, however, be talking to him about it later. She had questions and she wanted answers.

* * *

Gibbs grumbled to himself as he exited Vance's office. Their meeting had taken much longer than he'd expected and he wasn't happy. He had much more important things to do than discuss new regulations, upcoming court cases and cold cases. He headed down to the bullpen and was surprised to find Tony's desk empty.

"Where's DiNozzo?" he asked.

"We do not know," Ziva said hesitantly, knowing that answer wouldn't make Gibbs happy.

Gibbs looked from Tim to Ziva, not understanding how they could not know where Tony was. "How long has he been gone?"

"Uh, well, pretty much since you went up for your meeting with Vance," Tim said.

"We think he is hiding from us," Ziva said.

"Why?" Gibbs asked.

"Because we were teasing him like he always does us," Ziva answered.

Gibbs nodded and headed for the elevator. He knew Tony wouldn't leave the building without telling him so that meant he was either with Abby or Ducky. He headed for Abby's lab first only to find Tony had been there and left when Tim and Ziva showed up. He kissed Abby's cheek and assured her Tony was fine when she told him Tony was acting weird then headed for autopsy.

"Hey Duck, you seen Tony?"

Ducky nodded. "He's in the back room but do take it easy on him, Jethro. It appears something is bothering the boy today."

"Alright."

Gibbs stepped into Ducky's backroom and found Tony sitting on the loveseat with case files spread out all over the seat next to him and his lap. Gibbs thought he might look a little stressed but it was difficult to tell.

"You okay?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, Boss, and I'm working. Wasn't ditching."

"Not worried about that so much. Why're ya hidin' down here?"

Tony cleared the paperwork off the seat next to him so Gibbs could sit.

"Ziva said they were teasing you. Does that have something to do with it?"

"No. Don't dish it out if you can't take it. I dish it out and I can take it. It's just, I'm trying to figure out who this new Tony is. Does he pick on his coworkers? Joke about inappropriate things? Talk about how good the sex was last night? All those flings I've had in the past were meaningless but what we have is special and I wanna respect that. I'm trying to figure who I am. I know that sounds dumb."

"Nah," Gibbs said. "Doesn't sound dumb. Tony, I don't want you to change who you are. There's no need to reinvent yourself."

"Who am I?" Tony asked. It was an honest question. He wasn't looking for Gibbs to dote on him or fill his head with compliments.

"You're fun loving. You keep us on our toes. You get us through the most gruesome crime scenes. I need you. I rely on you. So do Tim and Ziva. I don't exactly want everyone to know what's going on in our bedroom but I'm not opposed to you giving some vague clues—very vague. We're all adults. Sex is human nature."

Gibbs paused and watched Tony. He still looked confused. He reached for Tony's hand and ran his fingers over Tony's before twining them together. "There will be changes, Tony. Everybody changes. I'm not the same person I was at eighteen and neither are you. Just be yourself. That's the Tony we all know and love."

"That Tony screws up a lot. He says stupid stuff, sticks his foot in his mouth. He's got issues."

"I don't want you to be perfect, Tony. I don't wanna be with someone who never makes a mistake. I love your weaknesses just as much as I love your strengths."

"Boss?"

"Hmm?"

"Actually—LJ, I'm gonna call you LJ for this."

"Okay."

"I'm really scared to say this and I never really said it to hardly anybody but it's what I feel. It's how I've felt all weekend. I love you. I love you, LJ. I love the way you accept me no matter what. I love the way you make me feel. I love being with you. I love everything about you and this, what we have. I love what we have."

Gibbs gave Tony a rare smile as he brushed the back of his fingers over his cheek. He moved his hand behind Tony's neck and pulled him into a kiss, wasting no time deepening it.

Tony kissed back eagerly, relaxing into how natural he felt with Gibbs. The pressure and confusion he'd felt all morning faded away. Gibbs hadn't said he loved him back but Tony hadn't expected that. Love was a touchy subject for both of them. Tony had just found himself with the overwhelming urge to say it. Besides, Tony knew Gibbs was showing him that he loved him and that was fine with Tony. Gibbs' actions spoke loud and clear leaving no doubt in Tony's mind.

Gibbs hand trailed down Tony's chest. It was risky but he knew what he wanted and he was going to take it right there.

"Here, Boss?" Tony asked in a panicked whisper.

"Relax," Gibbs said. "Trust me." He kissed Tony again as he undid his belt.

Tony whimpered when he felt Gibbs' hand rubbing over his underwear covered cock. He had no idea what his lover had planned but there was no way he was going to say no. He was pretty sure he would've made love to Gibbs in Times Square and not thought twice about it.

"Lean back," Gibbs said pushing Tony back into the couch. "Close your eyes."

As soon as Tony did Gibbs pressed a gentle kiss to each of his eyes. He freed Tony's cock from his boxers and easily stroked it to full hardness which didn't take much. Tony rocked into Gibbs' hand, thinking it was just a quick hand job. He'd happily take whatever he could get.

"Keep quiet," Gibbs said softly. "Ducky's in the next room. Tony, are you listening?"

"I heard you, LJ. I'll be quiet."

Gibbs smiled at the relaxed state Tony was in. Besides his cock jutting up from his lap, he was completely boneless, just how Gibbs wanted him.

Tony nearly came unglued when Gibbs wrapped his lips around his cock and started sucking before licking around the well defined ridge and through his slit. He had to remind himself to be quiet because all he wanted to do was moan and groan and cry out in pleasure but he didn't want to be interrupted and knew if he started making noise Ducky would come check on them.

"Oh shit," he breathed when Gibbs sank down onto his member.

Gibbs' tongue moved skillfully over Tony's fully engorged cock. He seemed to know just when to suck, where to lick and how to use his hand to amp up the pleasure even more. Tony fisted his hand into the Gibbs' shirt needing something to hold onto; somewhere to release everything building up inside him.

Gibbs could feel Tony's balls tightening in his hand as well as the increased urgency in the small jerks Tony's hips were making and knew he was close. He took all of Tony in his mouth, letting him cum down his throat and swallowing everything he offered. Tony bit down on his knuckle to keep from crying out as his release washed over him. He would've sworn to anyone that the orgasms he had with Gibbs were the most intense orgasms he'd ever experienced in his life.

Tony relaxed into the loveseat as Gibbs licked him clean. He watched Gibbs work, enjoying the sensations as well as the show. When Gibbs was done he kissed the tip of Tony's cock before tucking him back into his boxers.

"Want me to do you?" Tony asked. The post-orgasmic haze Gibbs had come to know was visible in every feature of Tony's face.

"No," Gibbs said lovingly. "This was all about you. We can satisfy my needs later. Should really get back before somebody starts looking for us."

"'kay."

Tony was too euphoric to fight it but he'd definitely make it worth it for Gibbs later on. He stood, zipped and buttoned his pants then followed Gibbs to the door. Just as Gibbs reached for it someone on the other side tried to turn the knob.

Gibbs pulled the door open and smiled innocently at Ducky. "Sorry Duck, musta accidentally hit the lock."

Ducky eyed both men then nodded. There was no reason not to believe Gibbs. "Yes, well, I was just going to check and make sure you two were okay."

"We're fine," Gibbs assured his friend. "Gettin' ready to head back up to the squad room."

Gibbs patted Ducky's shoulder then disappeared out the door with Tony following close behind. Ducky looked into the room then back in the direction his two visitors had just gone. Something strange was going on. He wasn't sure what or even why he thought that but he would've put money on it.

"That was close," Tony said with a smile as he stepped into the elevator with Gibbs.

"Ya think?" Gibbs asked with a little laugh.

"I like it," Tony said. "Living on the edge. The danger. It makes it even hotter."

"Hey Tony," Gibbs said, "I love you too." He didn't want to say it right after Tony had because he didn't want Tony to think he'd only said it because Tony had said it to him. Most of the time Gibbs was better at showing his emotions than he was verbalizing them but what he had with Tony was too important to just assume Tony knew he loved him. He knew he needed to say it. He wanted to say it. If felt natural, good even, to say it.

"I love you, Tony."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Empty Apartments and Missed Phone Calls**

Abby got in her car after work on Monday evening and headed straight for Tony's apartment. She'd stayed a little later than everyone else, fidgeting with her most sensitive, yet still her favorite, piece of equipment, Major Mass Spec. She figured Tony had had enough time to get home and get settled and after listening to Tim and Ziva's suspicions that morning, Abby really wanted to talk to him but she wouldn't do it in front of an audience. She respected Tony more than that and she knew whatever was going on was serious. Had he really just come to terms with what had happened at Cobalt? Did he and Gibbs hook up? Gibbs wasn't acting any different, although admittedly Abby had only seen him for a few minutes that day.

She pulled up in front of Tony's building and frowned when she didn't see his car anywhere. He had to be home. Tony didn't usually go anywhere on school nights. He could've been at the grocery store or stopped to help a stranded motorist or, he'd been hiding all day, maybe he was hiding that night as well but was he just hiding from Tim and Ziva or was he hiding from her too? Things just kept getting more and more confusing.

Abby headed up to Tony's apartment and knocked on the door. When she didn't get an answer she knocked harder and called out his name. She listened carefully but couldn't hear any movement so she tried to look through the peephole but couldn't see anything.

"Where did you go after work, Tony?" she asked. She pulled out her phone and dialed his number, wondering if he had an errand to run and was possibly on his way but he didn't answer. She decided against leaving him a voicemail and headed back down to her car. She had a feeling he wasn't going to be home any time soon so there was no point waiting around.

"Hinky."

* * *

"You know… it might not be a bad idea… to put some… some blankets or something down here," Tony panted.

Gibbs looked up at Tony as he released his cock from his mouth. "Is that what's on your mind right now, Tony—blankets?"

"No. Tryin' to distract myself. Don't wanna cum yet."

Gibbs smiled at his lover. He was starting to smile more around Tony and Tony loved it. He turned Tony around and bent him over one of the sawhorses in his basement. "Hold onto that for a minute."

Tony obeyed instantly. He shivered when he felt Gibbs' lube covered fingers working their way in and out of his hole. It wasn't long before he replaced his fingers with his cock and they both moaned.

"Let go," Gibbs whispered as he pulled Tony's upper body up towards him.

Tony let go of the sawhorse and pressed his back to Gibbs' chest. Gibbs kissed Tony's neck and then his cheek before pressing their lips together while he got a feel for how he could take Tony in that position. He loved having every part of Tony's body pressed up against his. He loved being inside Tony in any way, shape or form but having as much of their bodies touching as possible was definitely one of his favorites.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony's midsection and held him tightly. He brushed his fingers over the contours of Tony's body, the solid lines his muscles made, the outline of each of his ribs. He rubbed and scraped at his nipples while he watched Tony's cock bounce with each thrust he made. Tony was always hard and he got impossibly harder when Gibbs entered him and Gibbs loved it.

Tony reached for his cock but Gibbs grabbed his arm and pulled it away. "I'm enjoying the show," he whispered into Tony's ear before kissing and licking just behind the lobe. He rested his chin on Tony's shoulder, never taking his eyes off Tony's cock.

Tony kissed Gibbs' cheek then leaned his head against his lover's and watched with him. He watched as Gibbs moved his hand firmly down his belly and slid two fingers down on either side of his cock. Gibbs pulled Tony's body even closer to his as he enjoyed the feel of Tony's cock moving between his fingers before wrapping his hand around the base and delivering a long, firm stroke all the way to the tip.

Gibbs heard Tony's sharp intake of air as he rubbed his finger over his slit. When Tony started clawing at his hands, he was thankful the younger man kept his nails trimmed short otherwise, at the rate he was going, Gibbs' forearm would've been shredded. He was oozing precum constantly and Gibbs sensed he wasn't going to last long but he didn't want things to end quite so quickly.

"No! What are you doing?" Tony whined when Gibbs pulled out.

"Let's go over by the boat," Gibbs said already leading Tony in that direction.

"You want me to paint your boat for you?" Tony asked giggling at his little joke.

"Needs a little character."

Tony grabbed onto the ribs on the boat and shook it, testing out its steadiness.

"It's not going anywhere," Gibbs said bending Tony over a little further. He drizzled a little more lube on his cock then rubbed it over Tony's opening to make sure he was still plenty lubed.

"So good," Tony moaned.

Gibbs pulled Tony's ass cheeks apart slightly and slid his cock between them, not entering him yet. He wanted to give himself and his lover time to back off a bit so they could last longer. Tony's fingers were wrapped around the rib of the boat so tightly his knuckles were white. He was moaning and groaning and humming in pleasure. The more he settled in with Gibbs, the more noise he made and Gibbs loved every sound.

Gibbs angled his hips and lined himself up with Tony's entrance then pushed in, keeping his hands on Tony's hips the whole time. They were both lubed up enough and Gibbs was hard enough he slid in easily. Tony groaned something Gibbs couldn't quite understand as he pushed in and Gibbs just smiled.

Gibbs rubbed his hands over Tony's back as if he were rubbing down a horse. He traced his spine and rubbed his muscles while he pumped into him. Tony's head rolled from side to side, his hands still holding firmly to the boat. The top half of his body was leaned slightly forward and his hips and ass were pushed out towards Gibbs allowing Gibbs to go deep inside him.

Gibbs angled himself downwards as he pushed into Tony, putting a lot of pressure on Tony's prostate and making him cry out. Tony knew the direct pressure and constant rubbing was all he was going to need to cum.

"More," he pleaded, "harder, LJ. Right there. Don't stop. Please don't stop. Never stop."

Gibbs picked up his pace even more but continued to make each stroke firm and deliberate. He braced his hands on the ribs of his boat just above Tony's hands. He loved the fluid movement of their bodies, Tony pushing back against him with each stroke, the moaning and writhing.

He looked down at Tony, wishing he could see his face but not letting the thought distract him. He could imagine Tony's facial expression. He felt his balls drawing up and tingles all throughout his body. He was close and knew Tony was too so he didn't fight it. He gripped the boat tighter and closed his eyes then saw nothing but white as he exploded inside Tony.

He could hear Tony crying out below him knew he was cumming too. He was impressed he'd managed to cum without any physical contact with his dick.

"How'd that feel?" Gibbs asked.

"Holy shit," was all Tony could manage to say. He'd never cum without someone touching his dick. He'd never experienced anything like it and he couldn't wait to try it again.

Gibbs pulled out and wrapped Tony in his arms. He always missed kissing Tony when he took him from behind.

"That was amazing," Tony said.

"I'm impressed," Gibbs said before kissing him.

"I am too," Tony said going after another kiss. "I can't wait to do that again."

"We've got all night," Gibbs said. "Let's get cleaned up."

The two headed upstairs and got cleaned up then decided to curl up together in front of the TV and watch a movie. It was starting to get late but neither were ready to give in and go to bed. Tony dug through his boxes of movies and decided on _Die Another Day_. It wasn't his favorite James Bond movie but it would do. He didn't want to spend all night looking. Gibbs was making progress on the shelves he was building and Tony couldn't wait until he was done. He was honored that Gibbs was spending the time and putting the effort into making him something special.

"What're we watching?" Gibbs asked as Tony settled in on the couch, leaning heavily against him.

"Die Another Day with Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry. Not the best Bond but it'll do. You ever seen it?"

"Don't think so," Gibbs said draping his arm over Tony's shoulder.

"I think you'll like it but if it's too torturous for you then tell me."

Gibbs tried to pay attention to the movie but it wasn't of much interest to him. There were cool gadgets and pretty girls along with some exciting action scenes but Gibbs was much more interested in the person who was next to him on the couch. He dropped occasional kisses on Tony's head and ran his hand over Tony's shoulder almost without even realizing what he was doing. It all happened naturally and he was learning not to fight his feelings around Tony.

Tony nestled in closer to Gibbs, enjoying the loving touches. Usually cuddling was a chore for him, something he had to do to appease whatever girl he happened to be with but he didn't feel that way with Gibbs. He just wanted more.

"I love you, LJ," he said softly. "Is it gonna bother you if I say that sometimes?" Tony knew how scary those three words could be for the person saying them as well as the person hearing them. He didn't want to push and he most certainly didn't want to scare Gibbs away.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Gibbs answered before kissing Tony's temple.

Tony smiled and nuzzled into Gibbs' chest, trying to get comfortable. Gibbs waited until he'd refocused on the movie before reaching down and resting his hand on Tony's inner thigh, just under the hem of his athletic shorts. As the movie played on, Gibbs' hand inched further and further up until he got to Tony's core.

"If you're trying to make me hard again, it's working," Tony said taking his eyes off the movie and looking at Gibbs.

Gibbs captured Tony's lips in a kiss before putting a finger on his chin and turning his head back towards the TV. "Watch your movie."

Tony did his best to hide his smile. He knew Gibbs wasn't finished playing with him yet. If there was a way for him to enjoy movies even more, being played with by Gibbs was it.

Gibbs ran his hand over Tony's balls, making Tony jump. Tony reached for Gibbs' arm and held onto it while Gibbs played, perhaps in an unconscious effort to keep Gibbs' hand there, perhaps a silent request for the older man to keep going or maybe just to have more contact with Gibbs.

Gibbs took his time rubbing Tony's balls and tugging gently on them before starting at the base of Tony's cock and rubbing his fingers up the underside all the way to the tip. Tony wasn't quite as hard as he could be but he was definitely hard and still growing.

"Take your shorts off," Gibbs whispered into Tony's ear before placing a kiss there.

Tony smiled brightly as he wiggled out of his shorts then settled back into his comfortable position. Gibbs looked down at the dick lying against Tony's belly and the balls hanging below. Tony was gorgeous. Gibbs reached out and ran his finger around the well-defined ridge of Tony's cock causing Tony to arch into him. He wanted more than just a finger touching him.

"Sit still," Gibbs said, pulling his hand away until Tony settled back into the couch.

Gibbs ignored Tony's cock for the moment and started in on his nipples. Neither of them had put a shirt on after their playtime in the basement. There was no point. Spring brought warmer temperatures and after a long, cold winter it felt good to be able to shed a few layers, not to mention both enjoyed looking at each other.

Gibbs fingered Tony's nipple until it was a hard little nub then latched on with his mouth. He sucked hard then bit down before licking and pressing gentle kisses to it then started all over again. He felt Tony's hand in his hair and could hear his moans encouraging him to continue.

Once both nipples had been given adequate attention, Gibbs moved on. He pressed kisses to the trail of hair leading from Tony's naval down to his cock then took Tony's cock in his mouth without using his hands to help him. Tony whimpered, his movie long forgotten as Gibbs practically devoured him. He could feel himself barreling towards completion much too fast for his liking but it felt too good to stop it. Before he was sent over the edge Gibbs squeezed the base of his cock and balls and pulled his mouth off.

"Don't you dare cum yet. I'm not finished with you."

"Shit, LJ," Tony groaned.

Gibbs' hand was doing a good job of staving off his release and Tony wasn't sure if he was happy about that or sad. Once Tony calmed Gibbs held his cock against his belly and sucked one of his balls into his mouth then the other. He licked, kissed and nuzzled them with his nose before sucking on them again.

When Gibbs was done playing with Tony's balls, he retrieved the lube from the end table then took Tony's cock in his mouth again. While he licked and sucked, he popped the lube open and squirted some onto his fingers.

Tony was completely lost in the sensations overwhelming his body and didn't have a clue what Gibbs was doing. Next thing he knew he had two fingers up his ass pushing against his prostate. He cried out in pleasure and shock as his hips jerked towards Gibbs and Gibbs took more of his cock in his mouth.

Tony's breathing turned to panting at the constant rubbing of his prostate and the attention Gibbs was giving to his cock. Gibbs eased up on Tony's prostate and let his cock fall from his mouth so he could lick it and press kisses all over it. He was toying with Tony, learning his body. He wanted to know how close he could take him to the edge without pushing him over. He wanted to learn how Tony liked be touched, where and how much pressure. The goal was to learn how to bring Tony off within a matter of a couple minutes or be able to hold him off all day. He wanted to know his lover inside and out and playtime to learn all the little tricks was the most fun playtime Gibbs could ever ask for.

Once Tony's panting turned back to normal breaths, Gibbs swallowed his cock again and increased the pressure on his prostate.

"LJ," Tony cried. He didn't know what to do with his hands. They went from the couch to Gibbs' hair to Gibbs' shoulders and back. He rubbed his own nipples before grabbing onto the couch cushion he was sitting on and holding on for dear life as Gibbs increased the pressure on his prostate even more. "LJ, I'm gonna cum."

Gibbs squeezed Tony's cock and balls, holding him off so he could bring him down once again. Tony let out the most pathetic whine of displeasure he'd ever heard but Gibbs just smiled. Sexual torture was the best.

"Next time I'm not gonna warn you," Tony teased as his breathing evened out.

Gibbs sat up so he could kiss Tony, thrusting his tongue into the other man's mouth so he could get a taste of himself. Tony sucked eagerly on Gibbs' tongue until they were both struggling for air.

"I love you, Tony," Gibbs said. He wasn't a big fan of saying something just because someone else said it. He did love Tony and not because Tony loved him. Tony deserved to hear those words independent of anything else, not just repeated back every time he said it.

Gibbs kissed Tony again then went back down to his dick. Tony's balls were tight against his body and his cock was flushed with arousal. Gibbs decided it was time to finish him off. He pushed his fingers back into Tony's ass and took his cock in his mouth again. He sucked eagerly on the tip before stroking the slit with his tongue. He could just about feel Tony's release coming. He pushed a little harder on his prostate and sucked on his tip once again. He stimulated the slit with his tongue a little more then sank all the way down and it was all over for Tony.

Gibbs swallowed everything Tony gave him then continued sucking on his cock head and licking his slit while Tony came down from his high.

"You up for me in your ass?" Gibbs asked. Tony was slouched down with his back on the cushion where his butt used to be. He was panting heavily, his eyelids drooped and his mouth displaying a happy smile. His eyes were clouded over as his body stayed in that post orgasmic haze Gibbs loved to see him in.

Tony just grinned and nodded at Gibbs, not yet able to speak coherently. He watched as Gibbs dropped his shorts and kicked them off.

Gibbs grabbed a couple pillows and stacked them on the floor in front of Tony so it wouldn't be quite so hard on his knees. He was the perfect height. He lubed up his cock and pushed inside Tony. Tony's cock was lying tiredly against his body, completely spent from his orgasm. It was different not to see him hard and straining but Gibbs still loved to look at him. He could look at that naked body all day and never grow tired of it.

"You feel so good, Tony," Gibbs said as he pumped into him. "I don't know how you stay so tight after all the workouts I give this muscle." He could already feel his movements becoming erratic but the orgasm he'd had in the basement not too long ago meant he wouldn't cum quite so quickly. He could enjoy pumping into Tony rough and hard and not have to worry about it ending too soon.

Gibbs ran his hands from Tony's hips, over his belly up to his nipples and rubbed them. Tony let out a happy sigh. He rubbed his fingers over Gibbs' hands while Gibbs played with his nipples then pulled one hand up to his face and sucked a finger into his mouth, smiling when Gibbs groaned.

Once he had his hands back, Gibbs ran them back down to Tony's hips. He rubbed a hand over Tony's cock and balls even though he knew there was no chance of him getting hard again. He just had to touch him. Hard or soft, he loved touching Tony.

Tony started rubbing his balls then stroked his cock just so Gibbs could watch. He'd gone limp after Gibbs had so thoroughly played with him but limp for him still gave a few inches to play with.

Watching Tony play with himself seemed to light a fire in Gibbs' belly. He pushed Tony's hand away and pulled out so he could reach with his tongue. He had to have his mouth on Tony's cock again, soft or not. He licked roughly over Tony's balls then up the underside of his shaft before sucking it into his mouth. He sucked happily on Tony's member, still rocking his hips even though his cock wasn't inside Tony. He licked back and forth over Tony's slit, smiling at the moans and curses he was pulling from Tony's mouth.

"Don't stop," Tony begged, rocking his hips. "Oh shit. LJ. LJ, I think I'm gonna cum again. LJ. Please LJ, don't stop."

Gibbs alternated between the rough licking and intense sucking. He rubbed his hands roughly over Tony's balls making Tony moan louder. His cock was at half mast but Gibbs didn't expect much more than that. In fact, he hadn't even expected that much.'

"Lick me," Tony panted. "Lick my cock, LJ."

Gibbs happily obliged as Tony's rocking grew more intense. Gibbs had a firm grip on Tony's cock so he couldn't pull away no matter how hard he rocked. He ran his tongue all over the head of Tony's cock, paying special attention to the sensitive slit. Tony's panting increased and the movements of his hips sped up and Gibbs tasted a few salty drops of cum on his tongue as Tony cried out. There wasn't much ejaculate but Tony had obviously had another orgasm.

Once Gibbs was sure the waves of pleasure passed, he released Tony's cock, sat up on his knees and pushed himself back inside Tony. He knew it wasn't going to take him long. He continued rubbing his hand over Tony's cock and balls, loving the feel of it as he pounded into his ass.

Tony's arms were lying limply against the couch. He was too exhausted to move. Sweat was running down his brow and his breathing still hadn't evened out. Gibbs' hand rubbing his overly sensitive dick and balls was almost torture but in the best possible way.

Gibbs rhythm increased and he pushed harder and harder into Tony. Tony watched as Gibbs' eyes closed and his mouth opened. He started panting harder then a loud moan came out as he buried himself as deep as he could in Tony's ass. The thrusting continued until Gibbs had completely emptied himself into Tony then he fell exhaustedly onto Tony's chest.

Tony wrapped his arms around Gibbs and rubbed his back while Gibbs tried to even his breathing out. He rubbed Gibbs' neck, shoulders and back before combing his fingers through his lover's hair.

"I wish we were already in bed so we could sleep connected," Tony said softly.

"We can do that tomorrow night," Gibbs said, still slightly out of breath.

"No one has ever gotten me as excited as you do, LJ. I've never, ever cum like that before, ever." Tony didn't want to harp on the whole love thing because he really didn't want to annoy Gibbs with it but he knew his deep love for his partner was the reason his body was responding in the way it was. He was doing things he never even thought were possible and he'd always prided himself on having an adventurous sex life. He decided he might as well have been doing the missionary position all those years because absolutely nothing compared to what he and Gibbs had together.

"Welcome to true love, Tony," Gibbs said softly. He pressed a kiss to Tony's belly then pulled out and climbed up on the couch next to Tony. They needed to get cleaned up and start thinking about getting some sleep but he needed another minute. Tony snuggled in close, loving the feeling of having Gibbs' arms around him. Life didn't get any better than that.

* * *

Tony hadn't even gotten into the building when he received the text message from Abby, beckoning him down to her lab. He dropped his things off at his desk, offered a couple quick hellos to Tim and Ziva then headed for the elevator. He knew Abby would already have a Caf-Pow so he skipped the break room and headed right for the lab.

"What's up, Abs?" he asked.

"Morning Tony," Abby greeted.

"Whatcha workin' on?"

"Just running some DNA for Agent Barrowman. That's not why I called you down here."

"Why did you call me down here?"

"To chat. What'd you do last night?"

"I got a good workout in then I relaxed in front of the TV before bed."

"Interesting," Abby said.

"What's interesting about that?" Tony asked. If Abby knew how he'd gotten his workout she would definitely be saying interesting but there was nothing interesting about a workout in and of itself.

"I went to your apartment last night, Tony. You weren't there. I also called you and you never answered."

"You probably called when I was working out and I didn't hear my phone. Must've forgotten to check it. I'm sorry, Abs."

"So you don't deny not being home?"

"No," Tony said. "I never said I was at home. I said I relaxed in front of the TV."

"Sneaky," Abby said. "Where were you?"

"Nice try," Tony said with a smile, "but I'm not telling."

"Tony," Abby pouted.

"Abs, you know I love you but I need this little bit of privacy right now," Tony said. "You owe me anyways."

"I do?"

"Does the name Mikel Mawher ring a bell?"

"Oh yeah," Abby said with an uncomfortable laugh. "I shoulda told you about him."

"Yeah, you really should've," Tony said. "Abby, I promise I'll tell you what's going on but I need some time. Just know that I'm happier than I ever have been and I still love you."

Abby smiled a genuine smile at Tony. "If you're happy, I'm happy. I really am, Tony. Whenever you're ready to talk about it I'm ready too. Now get out of here before I'm tempted to ask you questions."

Tony gave Abby a hug and kissed the top of her head then headed for the elevator.

"Does this have something to do with Gibbs?" Abby called into the hall. She knew it had something to do with Gibbs. It had to.

"I can't hear you," Tony said. He smiled to himself as he stepped into the elevator and pushed the button that would take him back to the squad room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Connected **

"You're tense," Gibbs said scooting over next to Tony. They'd just gotten into bed for the night. Gibbs pulled Tony back against his chest, molding his body with his lover's. "Something's bugging you. Ya been quiet all day."

"The others have been pressuring me," Tony said. "It's okay. They're just doing the same thing to me that I've been doing to them for years. It's just different when you actually have a secret."

"Do you wanna go ahead and tell 'em?" Gibbs asked. He and Tony hadn't talked about telling the team since that morning in the diner.

"No," Tony said. "I don't wanna tell them because they keep asking questions and snooping around. When we tell them I want it to be because you and I decided it was time."

"Alright," Gibbs said softly. "I like that." He kissed the back of Tony's neck and inhaled his lover's scent as he let his body relax after the long day at work.

"Make love to me, LJ," Tony requested quietly.

Tony rubbed his ass over Gibbs' dick and could feel him starting to get hard. Gibbs left a trail of kisses down Tony's neck then lightly bit down on the area where his neck and shoulder met. Tony grunted and Gibbs licked the bite to soothe the sting.

"Hand me the lube," Gibbs said. Tony was closer and could reach without moving too much. Gibbs didn't want to unwrap himself from Tony.

Gibbs took the lube from Tony and squirted some in his hand. He reached around and rubbed Tony's rapidly hardening dick and tugged at his balls. He knew Tony would have no objection if he took him hard and fast but Gibbs sensed his lover was more in the mood for slower and sensual and he was more than happy to oblige.

Tony relaxed completely in Gibbs' arms. He rocked his hips forward, pushing his cock into Gibbs' hand then back and rubbed his ass against Gibbs' cock. It was the best of both worlds. "Feels good," he murmured.

Gibbs loved seeing Tony so at peace, especially after he'd come home from work so tense. He left more kisses on Tony's shoulder and neck then nipped and sucked on his earlobe. Tony arched his head forward, giving Gibbs more access to his neck and Gibbs took full advantage of it. He kissed and licked all over while he took his time stroking Tony's cock.

Gibbs rolled Tony over on his back and looked down over his body. He dipped his head and nipped at the nipple closest to him before kissing it and moving on to the other one. Tony looked up at him dreamily with a sincere smile on his face and Gibbs couldn't help but kiss him. After a series of passionate kisses, Gibbs traced his fingers around Tony's body.

"You still wanna sleep connected?" Gibbs asked. He wasn't sure if they'd make it the whole night staying connected. Sometimes Tony started thrashing around in his sleep but he was willing to try. Maybe the comfort of having someone holding him would keep him calm.

"Yeah," Tony said. "I want you to wake me up in the morning by making love to me again."

Gibbs leaned in and kissed Tony again. "Roll over," he whispered, "on your side."

Tony obeyed and snuggled back into Gibbs. Gibbs lubed up his cock then squirted a little more in his hand before tucking the bottle out of the way under his pillow. He spread Tony's ass cheeks and rubbed slow, firm strokes over his hole. Tony pulled one leg up to his chest to give Gibbs easier access then relaxed into the sensation. Gibbs lubed Tony up and stretched him out then slipped his cock inside.

"Oh yeah," Tony moaned. "I'll never get tired of that. You feel so good, LJ."

"So do you," Gibbs said reaching around and stroking Tony's cock. "I love how hard you get when I'm inside you."

"It's all your fault," Tony teased. "You're the one who makes me this hard."

"Do you feel how hard you make me?" Gibbs asked pumping into him.

"Mm-hmm. You're perfect."

Gibbs ran his hand up Tony's chest and pinched his nipple. He rubbed his fingers over the hard nub and held Tony tighter as he cuddled in closer. Tony reached between their legs rubbed Gibbs' sac. Gibbs pushed all the way into him and held still while Tony rubbed and tugged on his balls.

"Pull out, LJ, stick your cock between my legs."

Gibbs did as requested and Tony stroked Gibbs' cock and played with his balls. He rubbed his finger across Gibbs' slit making him moan.

"Time for you to go back where you belong," Tony said squeezing Gibbs' cock as if he were talking to it.

He rubbed Gibbs' cock head over his hole, listening as Gibbs moaned in pleasure. He pushed him in a little then pulled him out and started rubbing again. After doing that a few times he pushed Gibbs in and rocked his hips back, pushing himself all the way back onto Gibbs. Tony took Gibbs' hand from his side and moved it over his cock, wanting Gibbs to rub him again.

Gibbs wrapped his fingers around Tony's cock just below the head and gave a few quick, loose strokes.

"Actually, I wanna try to cum without you touching me again," Tony said.

"Without me touching you at all or without me touching your cock?"

"Just my cock."

"I think I can make that happen," Gibbs said.

Tony didn't know what Gibbs had planned but he was excited to find. Gibbs moved his hand down to Tony's balls, rubbing and gently squeezing. He wasn't at the best angle to be able to put a lot of pressure on Tony's prostate so he decided to stimulate it from the outside instead. He lifted Tony's sac out of the way and rubbed behind it.

Tony cried out at the new sensation and grabbed onto Gibbs' wrist, making sure his hand stayed there. That was exactly what he needed.

"You're so easy," Gibbs teased softly. "So sensitive. Doesn't even matter where I touch you, does it?"

"No," Tony panted.

Gibbs licked the back of Tony's neck and blew on it, making him moan and squirm even more. He kissed and nibbled all over the back of Tony's neck and shoulders.

"Harder, LJ. Please."

Gibbs rubbed and pushed even harder on the area behind Tony's sac, focusing on bringing him to completion. He continued pumping into him, angling his hips as best as he could to rub against Tony's prostate. Tony's whimpering and panting turned to an almost constant moan as Gibbs increased the pressure and speed of his movements. He knew if he reached down and stroked himself he'd cum immediately but he wanted to do it without touching again.

Gibbs could feel how close Tony was and didn't let up on what he was doing. "Cum for me, Tony," he whispered in his ear.

"Oh… oh shit… shit, LJ!"

Gibbs looked down and saw the white all over the bed sheets and Tony's stomach and smiled. "Can I touch you now?"

Tony nodded eagerly and Gibbs stroked his cock, pulling a little extra out of him. He continued pumping into him while he stroked Tony's cock. Tony rocked his hips in rhythm with Gibbs. It wasn't long before Gibbs was crying out in pleasure as his orgasm overtook his body.

Completely drained of energy, he wrapped his arms around Tony and pulled him close. "Good?" he asked, trying to slow his breathing.

"The best," Tony said. "You gotta try cumming without your cock being touched."

"You sure seem to enjoy it," Gibbs said. He knew that would involve some anal play and he wasn't sure if he wanted to try that.

"Don't pull out, okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere, Tony, but sometimes you get a little violent in your sleep."

"I do? What do I do? You can wake me up."

"I've tried," Gibbs said sleepily. "You just fight me harder."

Tony didn't know what to say. He knew he had nightmares sometimes but he didn't realize he got violent. How was he supposed to stop doing something he wasn't aware he was doing?

"What do you dream about, Tony?" Gibbs asked gently. He pulled him into a tighter embrace, hoping to make him feel safe and secure enough to talk about it. He could feel the tension in Tony's body.

Tony was quiet for several minutes before responding. "I'm tired. Can we just sleep, LJ?"

Gibbs sighed quietly as he kissed the back of Tony's head. He cuddled in closer, his nose nuzzled against Tony's neck, their bodies pressed tightly together, and closed his eyes. He wasn't angry or even surprised that Tony hadn't opened up to him. He would chip away at it and in time he'd learn the truth and try to find a way to help. "Good night, Tony."

* * *

Gibbs was surprised when he woke the next morning to find that neither he nor Tony had moved in their sleep. He was generally a pretty still, calm sleeper. He had his nights like everybody else but he rarely tossed and turned. Tony, on the other hand, rarely slept peacefully. Few nights passed where he wasn't trying to battle someone or something in his sleep. Gibbs wondered if the security of sleeping in his arms had helped Tony.

He kissed his way across Tony's shoulder then pressed several slow kisses to the nape of Tony's neck. He rocked his hips slightly, not enough to move himself in and out but enough to get his cock nice and hard. Tony sighed happily and pushed his ass out towards Gibbs. Gibbs wasn't sure if he was still sleeping or not.

"You awake?" he asked softly.

"Gettin' there," Tony said.

Gibbs retrieved the bottle of lube he'd left under his pillow the night before and pulled out enough he could lube himself up. Tony rotated his upper body so his shoulders were on the bed and he could look up at Gibbs but his ass was still facing Gibbs and available to be used.

Once Gibbs was finished, he smiled down at Tony.

"I wanted to be able to see you," Tony explained.

"I'm not going anywhere," Gibbs said. He leaned down and shared a soft, sweet kiss with Tony as he started moving in and out of him. He moved his hand from Tony's cheek, down the front of his neck and over his chest. Both of Tony's nipples got a kiss before they were licked and sucked on while Gibbs' hand explored. He took Tony's hand and pushed it down to his crotch. Tony took the hint and started rubbing Gibbs' sac.

"You like having your balls played with?" Tony asked.

"You play with 'em so well."

Tony smiled brightly. He always had thrived on compliments and that was no different in the bedroom. Gibbs slowed his thrusts to a gentle rocking and Tony moved his body slightly so he could rub Gibbs' balls against his own. He tugged and squeezed and rolled them in his hand while Gibbs kissed every part of Tony's body he could.

When Tony let go, Gibbs lengthened his strokes again. He would've been happy spending a lazy day in bed but they couldn't both be gone on the same day. Not only would it look suspicious, it would leave the team short. He reached around and started stroking Tony's cock. He loved watching Tony's cock move with the rhythm of their lovemaking but he also loved the feel of it in his hand.

Gibbs' thrusts became harder and more deliberate and Tony's grunts got more dramatic. Their eyes stayed locked on one another except for breaking for the occasional kiss. Gibbs rubbed Tony's balls and played with his cock perfectly. He was learning his lover so quickly but Tony had made it easy. He loved everything. Gibbs was beginning to realize he could probably get Tony hard just by staring at him across the bullpen. He smiled at the thought.

"I'm gonna cum," Tony choked out.

Gibbs sped his strokes up so he could finish with Tony and it wasn't long before they were both crying out in ecstasy together. Once their breathing slowed, the two shared another kiss then Gibbs pulled out. He both loved and hated the look on Tony's face every time he pulled out after they made love. He loved that Tony enjoyed being connected so much and hated that he had to take that feeling away. He kissed Tony once more then they got started on their morning routine. They needed showers and shaves, clothes ironed and coffee and their lovemaking had cut into their time a little bit. Both knew they couldn't be late again.

* * *

His and his lover's insatiable sexual appetite along with his coworkers snooping around kept Tony on his toes and increased the pressure on him. Despite the added stress, Tony was having the time of his life. Gibbs' subtle glances and light touches added excitement to every part of his day. He loved both trying to anticipate Gibbs' next move and pushing Gibbs to try to get him to lose control. The thrill was invigorating and the challenge addicting. Tony couldn't get enough.

"Hello, earth to Tony!" Ziva called rather loudly.

"Huh?" Tony looked at his coworkers confusedly, unaware that he'd zoned out.

"I'm going on a lunch run," Tim said. Tony didn't miss the irritation in his voice. "That new Chinese place right outside the front gate."

"Uh, did you need me to hold your hand or something?" Tony asked.

"No, I asked you what you wanted but apparently you were too busy daydreaming about your new girlfriend to notice," Tim said.

"Oh, you got me there McGreatWallOfChina," Tony said. "I'll have General Woo's chicken—spicy."

Tim disappeared to get their lunch and Ziva moved over in front of Tony. She sat down on the corner of his desk and stared at him.

"You look happy, Tony."

"I am, Ziva."

"In that case, I am happy for you but you might want to start paying attention to your job before Gibbs decides to fire you."

"Good point," Tony said, mostly to get her off his back. He watched Gibbs come down the stairs and head for the bathroom and got an idea. "Gotta hit the head."

Before Ziva could say anything, her coworker was gone.

Tony took stock of the bathroom as he slipped inside. The stalls were all open and Gibbs was the only one at the urinal. They were alone. Perfect. He stepped up next to Gibbs as the man was just finishing up.

"Hey," Tony said.

Gibbs just nodded. His impromptu meeting with the director had soured his mood slightly. His team had just been assigned a cold case that no other team had been able to solve. It seemed hopeless but Gibbs was the type of person who didn't like to leave things unfinished. Him and his team would solve that case it would just put a damper on his weekend plans.

Before Gibbs could tuck himself away, Tony reached over and stopped him. He moved Gibbs' hand away from his cock and took it in his own hand.

"What're you doing?" Gibbs asked as he scanned the bathroom.

"You looked stressed," Tony said before kissing him.

"And you're gonna fix that?" Gibbs asked before kissing Tony again.

Tony growled lustfully and backed Gibbs into one of the stalls. He was going to fix it alright. He freed Gibbs' balls from his boxer briefs then licked from his balls all the way up his shaft to the tip. Gibbs released a heavy breath as his hand found the back of Tony's head.

He took hold of his cock and lined it up with Tony's mouth, wanting more than just his tongue. Tony opened his mouth and eagerly took as much of Gibbs' cock as he could. He hollowed out his cheeks and sucked hard every time Gibbs pulled out and took more and more of him down his throat every time he pushed in. It felt so good that Gibbs had to remind himself not to get too rough with the willing mouth.

Tony pulled his mouth off and went back to work with his tongue. He licked and sucked, nipped and kissed all over Gibbs' most sensitive parts. He swirled his tongue around the tip before taking just the head of Gibbs' cock in his mouth and sucking as if he were trying to pull liquid through a straw.

Gibbs' hands tightened in Tony's hair and his breathing became more erratic as he quickly felt himself losing control. "All the way in, Tony. I wanna cum deep in your throat."

Tony took Gibbs all the way down and tugged at his balls. As soon as he was in Tony's mouth, Gibbs let out a low growl and let himself go. Tony swallowed all he could then licked up the little bit he'd missed. He looked up at Gibbs with lustful eyes and Gibbs couldn't resist pulling him to his feet for a kiss.

They heard the bathroom door open and both momentarily froze. Gibbs stepped up onto the toilet and Tony dropped his pants in case whoever it was could see under the stall.

"Tony? You in here?" Tim called out.

"What do you want, McGee?" Tony asked.

"Lunch is here," Tim said. "Ziva said you've been in here awhile. Everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, McGoo," Tony said. "Just havin' a little tummy trouble."

"The maybe you should've ordered some egg drop soup instead of spicy chicken," Tim said.

"I'm hungry, McGee. Egg drop soup ain't gonna cut it. I'll be out in a minute."

Tim opened his mouth to say something but decided against it and just left.

"You think he bought that you have a stomach ache?" Gibbs asked as he stepped down from the toilet and tucked himself away before zipping up.

"Don't know, don't care," Tony said pulling his pants up. "I think they've figured out I'm in love. They just don't have a clue who with. I guess I act weird when I'm in love… as rare as that happens."

"You better figure out how to balance the two because I don't plan on us falling out of love any time soon," Gibbs said possessively. He pulled Tony in for one more kiss, loving the taste of himself on Tony's tongue. "Get back to work."

"On it, Boss."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: If You're Trying to Sweet Talk Me, It's Working**

Tony woke to Gibbs spooned right behind him and his lover's mouth and hands all over his body. Mornings had gone from dreaded torture to something he looked forward to. It was nice not having to wake up alone anymore. He rolled over and nuzzled into Gibbs' chest. He took a moment to appreciate Gibbs' unique scent then pressed a kiss into the coarse hairs covering his lover's chest. He found Gibbs' nipple and started teasing it with his tongue, licking and nipping while Gibbs ran his fingers up the nape of his neck.

"As good as that feels, Tony, we've gotta get going," Gibbs said.

"Going? Where? It's Saturday."

"It's a surprise," Gibbs said. "Get up, get dressed, pack an overnight bag. We leave in half an hour." He shared a lingering kiss with Tony and was tempted to draw it out even more. Staying in bed and making love all weekend would've been nice but he wanted to share something else with Tony. He'd decided not to let the cold case they'd been assigned stop their weekend plans. They could work a little while they were away.

"No time for sex?" Tony asked. He was excited to see what Gibbs had planned but he didn't want to pass up sex.

"Later. I promise."

* * *

Tony watched the passing road signs, trying to figure out where they were heading. It wasn't anywhere he frequented so he didn't have a clue what was going on. Gibbs reached over and took his hand, running his thumb over Tony's knuckles. He knew Tony's mind was racing but he wasn't going to give in and tell him. It had been a long and somewhat stressful week and Gibbs wanted to get Tony out of the city for some peaceful, uninterrupted relaxation. They were still getting used to their change in relationship status and Gibbs couldn't think of a better way to spend their first weekend together.

"The Marina?" Tony asked when Gibbs parked the car. "But I thought your boats never made it out of your basement. Well, except for The Kelly but there's no need to bring that up."

"That's what happens when you start thinking," Gibbs teased. "Grab your stuff. Let's go."

"We're going sailing?" Tony asked looking down at his bag. "Over night?" He couldn't have been more thrilled. He knew how much Gibbs loved boats and being on the water and the fact that he was sharing that with Tony so early in their relationship spoke volumes.

"Not if we don't get a move on."

Gibbs and Tony worked together to ready the boat then loaded up their things. Tony wasn't sure when Gibbs had put the groceries in the car but he was thrilled. Gibbs had really planned everything out. The two boarded the boat then set off on their adventure.

Tony was like a little kid in a toy store. He didn't know where to go first, what to look at or what to do as Gibbs navigated the boat down the Potomac. It had been forever since he'd been on a boat that wasn't related to some crime scene they were working. "Where are we going?"

"We'll follow the Potomac to Chesapeake Bay then head out into the Atlantic."

"Open waters. Are we gonna go far enough out that we won't be able to see land?"

"Yep. We won't end up too far out but we won't be able to see land."

"Awesome. Do you mind if I go down below?"

"Make yourself at home, Tony. What's mine is yours."

Tony went below deck to explore where they'd be staying that weekend. It wasn't very large but big enough for the two of them. There was a kitchenette and a bathroom towards the front of the boat and a small bedroom area towards the back. Separating them was a small dining room area. It was very cozy. When he was done exploring downstairs he headed back up to where Gibbs was.

"This is awesome, LJ. I never thought I'd spend the night on a boat like this. I know we've spent the night on carriers but that's totally different."

"It's nice to let the waves rock you to sleep. I always sleep better on the water."

"Wait a minute. Is this about my nightmares?"

"No, Tony. This is about getting away after a crazy week. I would never take you somewhere like this to trap you into a conversation."

"Sorry," Tony said feeling a little ashamed. "I just… I'm learning. I'm trying to learn. I'm trying to trust, not that I don't trust you, it's just… certain things… you know."

"I know," Gibbs said. "I'm trying too."

The two shared a kiss as the tense moment passed. Tony looked around as the boat went from the river into the bay. There were quite a few boats in the water with them and Tony was starting to worry that their weekend along might not be as private as he'd originally thought it was going to be.

"Is there gonna be this many people around in the Atlantic?" he asked.

"Nope," Gibbs said. "In fact, I'd be surprised if we saw anybody."

"Good," Tony said.

Gibbs looked over at him and he just laughed.

"What? I don't always like to wear a lot of clothes."

"It's gonna be chilly out on the water," Gibbs pointed out. It was still spring and although it was getting warmer it wouldn't feel like it on the open seas.

"But I have someone to share body heat with," Tony said with a smile.

"Yes you do," Gibbs agreed. The two sailed through the bay and made it out into the ocean with no trouble at all. The farther they got from the land the fewer boats they saw until they were completely alone.

"Can I pee over the side of the boat?" Tony asked.

"How old are you?" Gibbs asked.

Tony smiled and shrugged. "It's not like anybody's around and the fish pee in the water all the time."

Gibbs rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the laugh. Tony took that as permission granted and headed for the side of the boat. He happily took care of business then returned to Gibbs' side. Gibbs showed Tony how to navigate the boat and read the charts and maps so they knew where they were. The two picked a place that both of them were happy with and dropped anchor. Nobody was around for as far as the eye could see. Both of them loved the feeling.

"Are there sharks out there? Can we go swimming?" Tony asked.

"Tony, it's the ocean," Gibbs pointed out. "We can go swimming though. They shouldn't mess with us. The water's gonna be cold."

"Oh well," Tony said. It was the middle of the afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. He could deal with cold water. "You didn't tell me to pack a swimsuit though so I guess I'll have to swim in the nude."

"Probably because I knew you wouldn't wear the suit even if you had brought it," Gibbs pointed out as he watched Tony strip.

"You know me so well already," Tony said. "You coming in?"

"I wanna see your reaction first." Gibbs knew how cold the water was going to be and wasn't overly eager to get in.

Tony shrugged then smiled and waved at Gibbs before launching himself over the side of the boat. As soon as his head popped up out of the water he shrieked in surprise. The water was beyond cold.

"Told ya," Gibbs said with a smirk. The water in the middle of the ocean was never as warm as it was at the beach or in swimming pools.

"I d-d-d-don't think-k-k we c-c-can have s-s-s-sex th-th-this weekend," Tony shivered. "I th-think m-my d-dick disappeared inside m-me f-for g-g-good."

"I'll warm you up."

"You-you're n-n-not c-coming in-n, are y-you?"

"Do I look like I'm crazy?" Gibbs asked.

"You coulda war-warned me."

"I did."

"I gotta start listening to you."

"That'd be nice," Gibbs said. "Your lips are turning blue. Come on. Time to get out." Gibbs held his hand out to Tony with a stern glare. "You pull me in, you're dead."

"You know, normally that'd be something you'd have to warn me about but I'm too freakin' cold to wanna stay in the water any longer."

Gibbs helped Tony out of the water and wrapped him in a blanket. He was quite amused but Tony, on the other hand, didn't think things were as funny as Gibbs did. He sat freezing cold with his teeth chattering so hard he was worried he might break one while Gibbs disappeared below deck. He wanted to go down and see what Gibbs was doing but he was too cold to move.

Not long after going down, Gibbs reappeared with two cups of coffee. He handed one to Tony then sat down next to him and took a sip of his own.

"Drink up," Gibbs said. "Warm ya up from the inside out."

"I'm too cold to move," Tony stuttered.

Gibbs pulled the blanket back and looked down at Tony's almost nonexistent cock. "I don't think I've ever seen anything quite so tiny," he teased.

"It's not tiny! He's cold."

Gibbs moved his hand from his hot coffee cup and rested it over Tony's crotch. Tony moaned in pleasure at the welcomed warmth and held Gibbs' hand on him.

"Thank you, LJ. How about you get naked and come under here with me. You can share some of your body heat."

"I wasn't the fool who jumped into the freezing water," Gibbs teased.

"I'll make it worth your while," Tony said seductively.

"With this tiny thing?" Gibbs asked squeezing Tony's cock.

"Not tiny! Cold!" Tony protested.

Gibbs looked at Tony with one of his famous smirks before he started removing his clothes. Any excuse to be naked with his lover was a good one but he had to tease him first. "Come sit over here with me," he said motioning towards the corner seat. There was more room for Tony to sit in front of him. Gibbs wrapped the blanket around his back and sat down then Tony sat between his legs and Gibbs wrapped them up.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," Tony answered. Gibbs was much warmer than just being surrounded by a blanket. Tony was finally starting to be able to feel his fingers and toes again. He took Gibbs' hand from his belly and moved it over his cock again, searching for that warmth for his sensitive parts. "Something's been bugging me, Boss."

Gibbs noted Tony calling him boss but he stiffened, a little worried about what was on Tony's mind.

"Our cold case—"

"You move my hand down to your cock and then you wanna talk about our cold case?" Gibbs interrupted.

"I told you, he's cold!" Tony said.

"Right," Gibbs said. "What about our cold case?"

"Katie died in her home when she was only four," Tony said.

"Right."

"We looked at the parents and ruled them out. There were no other adults in the house. We looked at extended family and neighbors and there was nothing so everybody just assumed it was a stranger."

"Mm-hmm."

"What if it was her sister?" Tony asked looking back at Gibbs.

"Alice was only five," Gibbs said.

"It's rare but it does happen," Tony pointed out. "A stranger doesn't fit the profile. A stranger most likely would've taken Katie out of the house and killed her somewhere else, not risk waking her mom who was just at the end of the hall. According to the reports nobody heard or saw anything hinky."

"Where's Alice now?" Gibbs asked.

"Mental home," Tony said. "Supposedly her sister's death hit her hard. Her parents said she didn't feel safe anywhere and therapy didn't seem to help. She just slowly declined. She got arrested for public intoxication, really went crazy in the joint and ended up getting committed."

"So you're thinking what if Alice's problems growing up weren't related to someone murdering her little sister—"

"What if they caused her to murder Katie," Tony interrupted. "I mean, you have to be pretty messed up to kill your sibling when you're only five but it's not unheard of and it's not like her problems stopped."

"Her dad was stationed overseas when all that happened. Mom was having a hard time dealing with him being gone."

"They thought maybe the mom went into a depression and couldn't deal with the kids or maybe she forgot to lock the door or just wasn't with it enough to hear the intruder."

"What if there was no intruder to hear," Gibbs said. "I think you might be onto something. How do we prove it?"

"That might be tricky but I don't think it's undoable. We can try talking to Alice or maybe having a psychologist talk to her. Then we would at least know if she's capable. The other thing we could do is talk to the mom. Maybe she knew and has just been covering it up all these years."

"If no one ever suspected one daughter killed the other they wouldn't have questioned Mom about it. Wouldn't have been a hard secret to keep in that sense. Her grief could've just been seen as that of losing a child."

"And if you've lost one child there's no way you're going to turn the other one in and risk her being taken away," Gibbs said. "Good job. We'll run it down on Monday."

"Now we can relax for the rest of the weekend," Tony said. "We don't have to be worried about the cold case. I saw you grab the files before we left the house."

"I don't like cases hanging over my head," Gibbs said.

"I don't either," Tony said.

"You ready for some dinner?"

"I could eat," Tony said.

"You could always eat," Gibbs teased.

He headed below deck with Tony and while Tony leaned against the wall and watched, Gibbs made quesadillas with the seasoned steak he'd made the previous day and other ingredients he'd brought along. It was quick and easy to make and tasty and filling with the hearty ingredients Gibbs added.

They enjoyed a peaceful dinner and after a quick cleanup, headed back up to watch the sunset. Both were still naked and the chill in the evening air was a bit uncomfortable so the cuddled up together under their blanket. Tony once again settled in front of Gibbs and pulled his lover's arms around him. He loved being surrounded by Gibbs' arms.

"Colorful sunset tonight," Tony said looking out over the brightly painted sky reflecting off the water.

"It's beautiful."

"I bet it gets pretty dark out here after the sun goes down," Tony said.

"You have no idea," Gibbs said. "If there weren't lights on the boat you wouldn't even be able to see your hand in front of your face." He ran his fingertips lightly down Tony's arm, sending shivers all through Tony's body. There was something romantic about watching the sun set with your lover.

"You know, you haven't made love to me all day," Tony said.

"Well, I vaguely remember someone trying to freeze their dick off earlier this afternoon and then having a conversation about a murderer. Not exactly a great way to get me in the mood."

Tony laid his head back on Gibbs' shoulder and turned Gibbs' head towards his. He looked from Gibbs' piercing blue eyes down to his lips and unconsciously wet his in preparation for the kiss they both knew was coming. Gibbs waited and let Tony close the distance between them and it didn't take long for the younger man to make his move.

"How have we been naked all day and not had sex?" Tony asked once their kiss broke.

"Being naked doesn't automatically mean sex," Gibbs pointed out. He was actually surprised with how comfortable he felt being naked. He wasn't ashamed of his body but he'd never been one to sit around in the nude just for the hell of it. He'd actually slept in the nude until Kelly had started walking and wandering into their bedroom at night. "Let's go below deck."

Tony stood and held his hand out to Gibbs. Gibbs took his hand and let Tony lead him down to the bed. He pulled Tony into his arms and took his mouth in a passionate kiss. It had been too long since they'd last made love. It had actually been less than twenty four hours but that was too long. Tony pressed his body against Gibbs', letting their hardening cocks rub together as they kissed. Gibbs ran his hands over Tony's neck up through his hair, holding his head while he kissed him thoroughly.

"I've missed you," Gibbs said.

"We've been together all day," Tony pointed out before another quick kiss.

"Not together enough," Gibbs said. He moved his hands firmly down Tony's sides to his ass then pulled his lover's body closer. "Tell me what you want."

"You," Tony said, "inside me."

Gibbs smiled. He knew that much. Tony crawled into bed and laid down on his back. He lifted his legs into the air in a silent invitation for Gibbs to enter him. Gibbs grabbed the bottle of lube from his backpack on the floor then climbed into bed with Tony. He settled between Tony's legs and laid his body on top of Tony's.

"I love you," Gibbs said. Tony always said it first. He was so eager with the words. They didn't come out quite as easily for Gibbs but that didn't mean he loved Tony any less.

"I love you," Tony said. He cupped Gibbs' cheek and pulled his down for a kiss while Gibbs rocked his hips, brushing their cocks together. "I want you inside me."

Gibbs' eyes didn't leave Tony's as he popped the cap on the lube and slicked himself up. He leaned in for another brief kiss then sat back on his knees. He drizzled some lube over Tony's cock and balls then squirted a generous amount around his hole. Tony groaned when Gibbs pushed a finger inside him and groaned again when he quickly added a second. While he stretched Tony with one hand, Gibbs rubbed his other hand over Tony's cock, spreading the lube around.

"More," Tony moaned. "I want more."

"Don't wanna hurt you," Gibbs said. No matter how impatient they were, Gibbs would always insist on taking the time to make sure Tony was stretched. He didn't ever want to hurt him. He pushed a third finger inside Tony and Tony cried out in pleasure and reached down to stroke his cock while Gibbs rubbed his balls.

Gibbs bent over and hovered with his mouth over Tony's cock. Tony fed Gibbs his cock and just about came unglued when he immediately took it all the way down. After sucking, licking and nipping at Tony's cock, Gibbs left a trail of kisses up Tony's abs and chest to his mouth. As he and Tony shared a passionate kiss, he reached down and pushed his cock inside Tony, swallowing the moan that resulted in his lover.

"I think this is my favorite position," Tony said. "I like being able to see you and kiss you and touch you and you're hitting my sweet spot every time."

Gibbs ran his hand across Tony's cheek and kissed him once more before sitting up. "I like being able to play with you," he said tugging on Tony's balls. "I like seeing your body all laid out for me to appreciate." He leaned down and nipped at Tony's nipple, first one and then the other before licking them.

As soon as he sat up, Tony's fingers found his nipples. Gibbs played with Tony's dick while Tony explored Gibbs' chest with his fingers. The two watched what each other were doing, taking note of what the other really seemed to like. When Tony's hands fell to Gibbs' legs, Gibbs let go of his cock and focused on his pumping.

With each inward stroke he pushed up against Tony's prostate. He could feel Tony's fingers digging into his knees and knew he was at the right angle. He was tempted to touch Tony's cock but knew he liked cumming without any contact so he opted for playing with his balls instead. He watched Tony moan and squirm beneath him and knew he was close. He picked up the pace, wanting to finish together.

When Tony's grunts turned to a continuous moan, Gibbs increased the intensity of his strokes and felt himself losing control. He hoped Tony was there because it was all over for him. Just as he released himself, Tony's release started. Gibbs continued slamming into him, watching the streams of white spurt out. When he was done, Gibbs stroked his cock, milking every last bit out of him.

"Holy shit," Tony muttered when it was all over. "Ho-ly shit."

Gibbs laid down on Tony's chest and wiped the sweat from his brow. "I did all the work," he teased. "How are you so sweaty?"

Tony opened his mouth and tried to say something but couldn't. There were no words that even came close to what he experienced when he was one with Gibbs.

Gibbs pressed a kiss to the corner of Tony's mouth and smiled down at him. "You with me?"

"Here," Tony said. "You make me feel so good."

Gibbs pulled out and headed for the bathroom for a washcloth. He cleaned them both up then laid down on the bed beside Tony. He laid on his side with his body pressed right up against Tony's and ran his hand down Tony's belly.

"LJ?"

"Hmm?" The words were quiet, a testament to the peace both men were feeling.

"Have you ever let anyone play with your ass, like fingers or anything?"

"No."

"Why?"

Gibbs pursed his lips, wondering where Tony was going with his line of questioning. "I've never been in a relationship with a guy before, Tony, and I'm not just gonna let anybody play around back there."

"I'm your first?" Tony asked.

"You're my first relationship," Gibbs said. He'd had sex with other men but it had been meaningless.

Tony nodded and returned to his previous line of questioning. "Ever thought about what it would be like?"

"I suppose if I were honest with you I'd say there's been some curiosity."

"LJ?"

"Hmm?"

Tony swallowed hard, searching for the courage to continue. "I could do stuff if you wanted, you know, with my fingers or dick or whatever you wanted to try. It feels so good and I feel bad that you're missing out on that."

"It feels pretty damn good for me too, Tony."

"I know but I've been a top before and being on the bottom is a whole different kind of good."

Gibbs raked his fingers over Tony's nipple as he considered what Tony was saying. It wasn't something he thought about often and was in a hurry to try but he was curious. Trust wasn't an issue with Tony. He couldn't think of a better partner. The little hint of fear in the back of his mind wasn't enough for him to say no. "Alright," he said, "next time you're on top."

"You sure?"

"Yeah but you're gonna have to be patient with me."

"I promise."

* * *

Gibbs woke when he felt a hand trailing over his chest. Before he opened his eyes he could feel Tony's mouth on his nipples as his hand continued its exploration. Gibbs rubbed Tony's back and squeezed the back of his neck affectionately.

"Couldn't sleep?" Gibbs asked.

"Woke up horny," Tony explained. He crawled up Gibbs' body and the two shared a kiss. "Are you horny?"

Gibbs rocked his hips up so Tony could feel him getting hard.

"Am I still on top?" Tony asked. "You don't have to say yes."

"You're not getting out of it that easy. It's the middle of the night. I'm tired. You're the horny one. You're doing all the work."

Tony touched Gibbs' cheek affectionately before leaning in for another kiss. He was excited, not for himself but for Gibbs. He hoped he could make the experience as breathtaking for Gibbs as Gibbs always made it for him.

"Go slow," Gibbs requested as Tony flipped the lamp on.

"Trust me," Tony said. "Just relax. I won't stick my dick in there unless you ask me to." He leaned in and kissed Gibbs again as he grabbed the lube from the bedside table.

Tony kissed and licked his way around Gibbs' chest and abs, giving his nipples special attention. He could feel Gibbs relaxing and felt a small sense of satisfaction. He squirted some lube on his hands and started stroking Gibbs' cock and playing with his balls. Gibbs relaxed into the bed and closed his eyes, letting Tony play with every part of him. He was a bit anxious but he trusted Tony and Tony was doing a good job of relaxing him.

Tony looked up at Gibbs and saw his eyes were closed. He licked Gibbs' cock then sucked on the tip, swallowing down his precum before taking it all the way in his mouth. Gibbs gave a happy grunt and jerked his hips. He rested his hand on the side of Tony's head and brushed his thumb over his cheek.

Tony played with Gibbs balls then licked his sac, inching his way closer to his target. He licked behind Gibbs' balls then stroked his cock to give him something to focus on as he rubbed a finger over Gibbs' hole. He listened carefully to the subtle noises Gibbs was making and stole occasional glances to judge how Gibbs was doing.

Tony went back to work on Gibbs' cock and balls with his mouth then licked down to his hole. He heard Gibbs' sharp intake of air as he licked over his hole and kept going. Tony's first time had been with someone who'd prepared him very well and he was drawing on that memory to do the same for Gibbs.

Gibbs fisted one hand into the sheets and used the other to stroke his neglected cock as Tony thoroughly licked his hole before pushing his tongue inside. The pleasure overwhelmed any feelings of anxiety and discomfort at the minimal intrusion. Tony's hand once again found Gibbs' balls as he worked Gibbs over with his tongue.

Once he had Gibbs writhing and panting in enjoyment, he licked across his hole, up his balls and cock then sank down on it. He put more lube on his fingers and started rubbing over Gibbs' hole with a little more pressure than he'd used before. Gibbs did his best to relax his body, knowing what was coming next.

"Do it," Gibbs whispered when he felt Tony hesitate.

Tony pulled his mouth off Gibbs cock and pushed against Gibbs' opening. He watched as the finger disappeared inside Gibbs. When Gibbs' facial features relaxed he started easing his finger in and out, lengthening his strokes. The more he felt Gibbs relax the longer his strokes his got. He curled his finger inside Gibbs to brush across his prostate and as soon as he found the gland, Gibbs made the most wonderful noise Tony had ever heard.

"Hold on," Gibbs said, grabbing Tony's wrist to stop his movements.

"Hurt?"

"No. I'm not ready for it to be over yet but if you keep that up it's going to be."

Tony pulled his fingers out and leaned over Gibbs for a kiss. Gibbs quickly deepened it as his hands explored Tony's body.

"I want you inside me," Gibbs said once the kiss broke.

Tony looked down at Gibbs in surprise. He studied his face and came to the conclusion he was serious. "Are you sure?"

Gibbs nodded. "Just be gentle."

"Damn I love you, LJ."

Gibbs stroked his fingers across Tony's cheek and Tony leaned in for another kiss. Gibbs lifted his legs up once again as Tony made his way back down his body. He paused to kiss Gibbs' nipples, abs, cock and balls then went back to work stretching him out. Gibbs just relaxed and enjoyed the attention.

Once Tony was satisfied that Gibbs was adequately stretched, he lubed himself up, rubbed some more lube over Gibbs' hole and lined himself up. He was slightly terrified of both hurting him and not being able to maximize Gibbs' pleasure.

"Relax," Gibbs said when he saw Tony tense.

Tony laughed uncomfortably. "I should be telling you that."

Gibbs smiled and brushed his thumb affectionately over Tony's cheek. Tony leaned into the touch and let himself relax. He stroked his cock a couple times then lined himself up again. His eyes met Gibbs' as he started pushing in. As soon as Gibbs' face contorted in pain, he stopped.

When Tony realized he could watch Gibbs' face and learn everything he needed to know, he settled in and started feeling more comfortable with the shift in roles. He started stroking Gibbs' cock to distract him from the discomfort and as Gibbs relaxed, Tony continued slowly pushing until he was all the way in.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm," Gibbs hummed.

Tony leaned over him and the two shared a kiss. Tony kissed Gibbs cheek then nibbled and kissed his ear while he ran his hand down Gibbs' neck and over his chest. He lifted himself back up and turned his attention back to Gibbs' cock. He stroked Gibbs back to full hardness and played with his balls.

When Gibbs started rocking against him, Tony started easing in and out. He continued to go slow, watching Gibbs closely to judge what he should do next. It didn't take long for the discomfort pass and for Gibbs to be able to relax completely and enjoy what was happening.

"Feels good, Tony."

"You haven't felt anything yet," Tony said.

Tony altered his angle so he was rubbing Gibbs' prostate with each pass and Gibbs responded with moans and grunts, encouraging Tony to continue. Gibbs' hands found Tony's sides as he strained to get closer and increase the pressure to add to the pleasure.

Tony did his best to keep up his rhythm, hitting Gibbs' sweet spot with every stroke. Once he found his rhythm he started stroking Gibbs' cock in sync. All the muscles in Gibbs' body tightened. His hands tightened around Tony's waist and it was all Tony could do to keep his pace even.

"Cum, LJ," Tony groaned. "I wanna watch you cum." He hoped Gibbs was close because there was no way he was going to be able to hold back much longer.

Almost as soon as he spoke, Gibbs was cumming with a string of curse words mixed in with Tony's name. Watching Gibbs' facial expressions and feeling him tighten around his cock was all Tony needed to push him over the edge. He groaned loudly as he came deep inside Gibbs then collapsed onto Gibbs' chest, panting heavily.

As soon as his breathing had evened out and he could think clearly, Gibbs rubbed his hands over Tony's back, trying to soothe him. As Tony calmed he kissed Gibbs' chest then his neck before hovering above him, smiling and kissing him.

"You feel so good," Tony said.

"That was amazing," Gibbs said.

"Wait till you cum without having your dick touched," Tony said. He eased himself out of Gibbs and stood from the bed. "Be right back."

Gibbs closed his eyes and relaxed while he waited. He didn't even open his eyes when he felt Tony cleaning him up. When Tony returned to bed, Gibbs pulled him close and the two cuddled together to enjoy what was left of their night.

* * *

"Can we just get lost at sea forever?" Tony asked as he sat cuddled with Gibbs, looking out over the ocean.

"If you're trying to sweet talk me, it's working," Gibbs said kissing Tony's neck.

The two had spent the morning sleeping in, waking up slow and enjoying each other's bodies. They'd decided to spend the rest of the time just cuddling and enjoying the relaxing movements of the boat as the waves gently rocked them. There was no reason to do anything and the two were content just enjoying the closeness. It was a perfect relaxing getaway.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Love Hurts**

After being smacked half awake, Gibbs woke to a punch in the gut that took his breath away. With Tony still thrashing around beside him, Gibbs rolled out of bed onto the floor to try to catch his breath and prevent getting hit again. He landed hard and the thud woke Tony. It took Tony a moment to realize what had happened but as soon as he did panic set in.

"LJ?" he asked nervously.

"It's okay," Gibbs said, trying to hide the pain in his voice. Tony was strong and his power was unbridled in his sleep. Gibbs didn't know what hurt more, being punched or falling out of bed. He got himself back into bed and focused on keeping his breathing even while Tony stared at him.

"What did I do?" Tony asked in horror.

"I just rolled outta bed," Gibbs replied, leaving out the part about Tony punching him. He didn't want Tony to feel any worse than he already did.

"I'm sorry, LJ," Tony said. "This is all my fault. I'm really, really sorry. Next time push me out of bed, please. Please."

"Tony, relax," Gibbs soothed, "it's okay, really. Everything's fine."

"How bad did I hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Gibbs said. He chose his words carefully, not lying but not coming right out and telling Tony everything either. "Let's go back to sleep."

"Are you going back to sleep too? I mean, you're not gonna wait for me to go to sleep then leave, right?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Gibbs said, yawning. "Let's go back to sleep."

Tony relaxed as much as he could and rested his head on his pillow. He watched Gibbs carefully, looking for any sign that the man was hurt or upset. Gibbs reached over and brushed his thumb over Tony's cheek. He knew Tony was worried and he didn't want that. Tony latched onto Gibbs' hand and pressed a kiss to it before weaving their fingers together and finally closing his eyes once again.

Gibbs laid awake and watched Tony sleep. He was in pain. The slightest movement sent sharp waves of pain all through his body. Even breathing hurt. He dozed off and on until 3:00 when his phone started ringing. His team had been assigned a case. It was time to get up. He woke Tony and the two quickly got ready then headed for the empty parking lot they'd been dispatched to. There was a single car with a dead body inside and nobody else around.

"DiNozzo, shoot and sketch," Gibbs said. "David, bag and tag. McGee, I wanna know who this guy is, where he came from and how he got here."

"On it, Boss," all three chimed.

Gibbs headed for the car where Ducky and Jimmy were just beginning to examine the body. He bent over to take a look, momentarily forgetting about the pain. Ducky immediately noticed how stiffly Gibbs was moving and how sore he appeared to be.

"Did something happen, Jethro?" he asked.

Gibbs struggled to come up with an excuse with Tony standing close by listening. "I'm fine, Duck."

"You don't look fine. Did something happen?"

"Nope."

"Let's have a look," Ducky insisted.

"No need to look, Ducky. I'm fine." There was a hint of irritation creeping into Gibbs' voice even though he knew Ducky wasn't going to back down.

"If you're fine then it really shouldn't matter if I take a look."

"You're here for the body, not me," Gibbs said.

"Oh, he's dead!" Jimmy chimed in. "He's not going anywhere." The young ME assistant saw the looks he was getting and wiped the smile off his face. "I'm just gonna go get the stretcher."

Ducky rolled his eyes at Jimmy and turned his attention back to Gibbs. "Come on, Jethro. Let me take a quick look at you. You don't even have to remove your shirt."

Gibbs sighed, finally giving up the fight. "This really isn't necessary," he repeated as Ducky started poking at his midsection. As soon as Ducky found the sore spot on Gibbs' left side, Gibbs quickly grabbed onto his wrist, stopping him from inflicting anymore pain.

"I see your definition of 'fine' hasn't changed any," Ducky scolded. "I want to see you in my office immediately when we return."

"Ducky—"

"Remember, Jethro," Ducky said, cutting Gibbs off, "I can inform Director Vance that you're not medically cleared to work."

"Fine," Gibbs relented. "Can we finish here?"

Tony watched and listened carefully to the exchange between Gibbs and Ducky. He searched for any opportunity to get Gibbs alone but that was easier said than done in the small parking lot with the others milling around. When he saw Gibbs head for the back of the truck, he followed him.

"Did I hurt you last night?" Tony asked, concern written all over his face.

"Nah, I'm fine," Gibbs said still blowing it off. "It's just from falling out of bed." He brushed his thumb affectionately over Tony's cheek and smiled at him. "Get back to work."

* * *

"Shirt off," Ducky instructed, "up on the table."

Gibbs grumbled his displeasure and added an eye roll for effect.

"The more you complain the longer this will take," Ducky said, unfazed by Gibbs' poor mood, "but if you'd like to spend the day with me that's fine. I think I'd rather enjoy the company."

Gibbs rolled his eyes again and did his best to get his polo and undershirt off smoothly. Ducky's twisted up facial expression as soon as his top half was bare told Gibbs something was wrong. He looked down at his chest and saw the large, angry bruise covering a large portion of his left side.

"Would you care to explain that?" Ducky asked as Gibbs eased himself onto the table.

"Fell outta bed last night. That's all I'm telling ya."

Ducky raised an eyebrow at the unusual response. "I won't ask. This is going to hurt I'm afraid." He pushed against Gibbs' injured side and compared how it felt with how his good side felt.

Gibbs grumbled at the discomfort and failed miserably at keeping the pained looks off his face. It took all his willpower not to grab onto Ducky's hands to stop the torture.

"I want x-rays," Ducky said.

"Don't have time for that right now," Gibbs said as he grabbed his shirt.

Ducky snatched Gibbs' shirt out of his hand and tossed it back onto the table. "It's either x-rays or you sit this case out. Which will it be?"

Gibbs glared at Ducky, not at all happy about the position he was being put in.

"You can glare at me all you want, Jethro," Ducky said. "You're not intimidating me."

"Damn it, Ducky."

"I know, I know but somebody has to take care of you and if you're not going to do it then I will."

"Can we hurry this up?"

"Certainly. Lie down."

Ducky took x-rays of Gibbs' midsection and endured Gibbs grumbling and fidgeting while he developed the films and looked them over. He suspected Gibbs did a lot more than fall out of bed the previous night but he wasn't going to pry. He knew Gibbs would share what he was comfortable with and nothing more. He was a very private person and Ducky respected that. He had all the information he needed to treat his most stubborn patient.

"Lie back down," Ducky instructed.

"Ducky, ya got your x-rays, ya poked and prodded me. What more do you need to do?"

"You have a couple bruised ribs. We need to put ice on them. It'll only take fifteen minutes of your time. You'll live."

"I don't need ice. I'll do it later."

Ducky glared at Gibbs and Gibbs finally gave in and laid down although he made his displeasure known. Ducky just ignored him as he wrapped an ice pack in a piece of thin cloth and laid it over the bruise. Gibbs made it less than a minute before he started fidgeting.

"Lay still, Jethro. That ice won't do any good if it keeps falling off. Hold it firmly to your chest or I'll do it for you."

"I just need my phone," Gibbs grumbled.

Gibbs made a few calls to make sure his team was on track while he endured his fifteen minutes of downtime. He knew they didn't need to be checked on but he couldn't just lay there and do nothing. By the time Ducky let him up, he was nearly ready to run out of there.

"That needs to be iced four times a day, Jethro," Ducky said as Gibbs pulled his shirt on.

"I'll come back at lunch if I'm around."

"Don't make me hunt you down because I will do it."

"I know, Duck."

Gibbs tucked his shirt in as he rode the elevator back up the squad room. He fastened his pants as he stepped out and headed for the bullpen. "What do we got?" he asked.

"Petty Officer Kumis' buddies will be done with PT at 0800," Tony said, watching Gibbs closely. He would've given anything to know what Ducky had said. "Their sergeant's gonna hold 'em till we get there to question them."

"What about the cold case?" Gibbs asked.

"Cranston's gonna go talk to Alice tomorrow," Tony said. "The mom is currently out of town for her job. She'll be back late tonight. We can talk to her tomorrow too."

"Alright," Gibbs said, "Tony, take Ziva, go talk to Kumis' buddies. McGee, I want you on his electronic trail. I'll be in the lab."

"You got it, Boss," Tony said.

Ziva followed Tony to the elevator while Tim got busy on his computer and Gibbs headed for the lab to check in with Abby.

* * *

"I missed you today," Tony said as he and Gibbs stood in the entryway of their house.

Gibbs smiled and kissed Tony.

"What'd Ducky say?" It had been the question he'd both been dreading and wanting to ask all day but hadn't had the chance.

"Just a bruised rib," Gibbs said. "Not a big deal."

Tony looked sick. He was horrified to know he'd caused the injury to his lover in a violent struggle with a ghost from his nightmare.

"Hey," Gibbs said touching Tony's face to pull him out of his thoughts, "it's okay. I'm fine."

"I hate myself," Tony said.

"Stop it," Gibbs said firmly.

"Can I see?"

Gibbs untucked his shirt and pulled it up so Tony could see.

Tony winced at the deep colors spread across Gibbs' left side. "I'm gonna sleep on the couch tonight." He couldn't risk hurting Gibbs again—he wouldn't.

"No," Gibbs said plainly. He wouldn't have that. Tony was his lover and wherever he slept, Gibbs would sleep but Gibbs wasn't going to try to cram onto the couch with him.

"LJ—"

"Don't bother, Tony," Gibbs said as he started up the stairs, "you're not gonna win this argument."

Tony sighed quietly and followed Gibbs upstairs. Gibbs didn't seem to care about what had happened but Tony couldn't stop beating himself up over it. He stood in the doorway and watched as Gibbs changed into a pair of comfy sweats. Normally Tony would be gawking at the way Gibbs' cock moved against the loose fabric but all he could think about was the bruise covering Gibbs' side and the fact that he'd put it there.

"You gonna change or just stand there and watch me?" Gibbs asked.

"I think I'm gonna get a shower," Tony said as he started unbuttoning his shirt, "try to wash the day off of me."

"Anthony."

Tony turned and looked at Gibbs. He rarely called him Anthony, usually only when he had something incredibly important to say.

Gibbs' eyes met Tony's and he tried to come up with the right words but he'd already said everything he could say and repeating it wasn't going to convince Tony. He reached out and rested his hand against Tony's cheek. "I love you."

Tony put his hand on top of Gibbs' and tried to smile. "Love you too, LJ." He took Gibbs' hand from his cheek and pressed a kiss to his palm before briefly pressing their lips together then heading into the en-suite bathroom.

Gibbs decided since it was getting late that he'd just lie down in bed and read. They'd eaten dinner at work and after getting started at 3:00 that morning it wouldn't hurt to be in bed shortly after 9:00. Maybe they'd watch a movie after Tony got out of the shower. Gibbs would do whatever Tony wanted. He didn't like seeing him so down and definitely didn't want him blaming himself for something he had no control over. Gibbs was so lost in his book that he didn't even realize it was after 10:00 when Tony came out of the shower.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Yeah," Tony said crawling into bed next to Gibbs. "Just tired."

"Ready for bed?" Gibbs asked brushing his fingers through Tony's wet hair.

"Whenever you are."

Gibbs put his book aside, turned the light off and pulled the covers over them. Tony seemed stiff when Gibbs tugged him closer but he scooted over once invited. He let the tension leave his body and evened his breathing out, enjoying Gibbs' soft, soothing touches. Tony knew Gibbs was worried and he didn't want that but he also couldn't risk sleeping next to him in case he had more nightmares.

"LJ?"

"What?"

Tony was quiet for a moment but his thoughts were racing. He was curious why Gibbs hadn't confronted him about the nightmares but he was afraid if he asked then Gibbs would. He decided saying something was too much of a risk. He didn't want to talk about them. "Good night."

Gibbs rubbed his hand over Tony's hair and kissed the back of his head. "Good night, Tony."

Tony laid awake until he was sure Gibbs was asleep then slipped out of bed unnoticed. He looked down at Gibbs sleeping so peacefully and smiled sadly. He didn't want to go but he felt he had to. He hated the nightmares and didn't have a clue why they made him violent. He had a fleeting thought to ask a therapist about it but knew they'd want to dig into all kinds of things in his past that he didn't want to deal with so he quickly pushed that idea out of his head.

Tony grabbed one of his pillows and headed for the stairs. Like Gibbs, he'd slept on the couch on numerous occasions and he would again that night. That was the best way to assure both he and Gibbs got a safe and peaceful night's sleep.

* * *

Gibbs rolled over in the middle of the night, unconsciously searching for Tony. He opened his eyes when he didn't find his lover and realized that he was, indeed, sleeping alone. Panic rose and he suddenly found himself wide awake. Where had Tony run to? Had he gone back to his apartment or was he just in another room in the house?

Gibbs pulled himself out of bed and headed into the hallway. Both the other bedrooms were bare so he knew Tony wasn't in either of them and headed downstairs. The moonlight lit up the living room enough he could make out Tony's figure on the couch.

"Damn you, Tony," Gibbs muttered. He wasn't angry. He knew there would be times that he'd have to hold onto Tony tighter. Tony internalized things like he did. It would be an adjustment for both of them to share what was going on inside their heads with each other.

Gibbs walked over to the couch and stretched himself out on top of Tony, despite the pain he knew it would cause his beat up ribs. It took Tony a moment but he woke and realized Gibbs was on top of him.

"Is this my punishment for leaving last night?" he asked groggily. "You're gonna lay on me so I can't go anywhere."

"Hadn't thought about it that way but yeah," Gibbs answered. "I was cold and lonely and you were nowhere to be found."

"Didn't want to fight you again."

"You weren't fighting me, Tony. You were fighting some invisible being in your dream."

"That bruise on your chest says otherwise."

"Tony, it's late and I'm tired. I will sleep on top of you on this couch for the rest of the night but I'd prefer you get that ass back upstairs into bed."

"Okay," Tony agreed, "but only because I don't think I could sleep like this all night. You are really comfortable though."

"You know what would make this even more comfortable?" Gibbs asked.

"What?"

"If we were naked."

"That would definitely make things more comfortable. We could get naked on the way up the stairs."

"We could already be naked if someone hadn't disappeared in the night," Gibbs teased.

Tony groaned approvingly as he felt his cock hardening.

"I've changed my mind," Gibbs said, reaching a hand over and searching for something on the coffee table. "I'm not ready to go back to bed yet." Talking about sex was more than enough to get him going but talking about sex while lying on top of his lover made it irresistible.

"What did you have in mind?" Tony asked, wiggling his ass against Gibbs as best as he could from underneath the man.

"I think you know," Gibbs said before licking and then biting Tony's ear.

Gibbs finally found the bottle of lube on the coffee table and grabbed it. He lifted himself up enough he could push his sweatpants down and pull Tony's down as well then laid back down on top of his lover. Tony groaned at the hard cock pressing against his ass.

"You want this?" Gibbs asked, rocking his hips to rub his cock against Tony's ass.

"Yes," Tony groaned.

"How bad?"

"So bad I can't think straight enough to answer that question. Please, LJ."

"Bad enough you're not gonna disappear on me in the middle of the night again?"

"Yes," Tony said desperately.

"Promise?" Gibbs loved torturing Tony and drawing it out and making him beg was torture.

"Promise! Please, LJ."

"I don't know if I believe you," Gibbs said playfully. With Tony under him there wasn't much his lover could do but endure everything he handed out.

Tony's frustration turned to laughter. He knew exactly what game Gibbs was playing. "Please, LJ, please. I won't run away again. I promise."

Gibbs popped the cap off the lube and drizzled some over Tony's hole before covering his cock with more. "You sure you want this?" he asked, poking his cock against one of Tony's ass cheeks.

"Yes," Tony groaned, "preferably sometime tonight."

Gibbs dropped kisses all over Tony's back as he pushed inside him. He went slow since he hadn't stretched him. He knew Tony was still stretched enough to make it comfortable from making love the previous night but would need to adjust fully.

"Oh yeah," Tony screeched. "Stretch my ass with that huge cock."

"Don't," Gibbs said when he felt Tony trying to spread his legs. "I wanna feel that long, tight passage." He kissed the back of Tony's neck then laid his head on top of Tony's and focused on what he was doing so he didn't hurt Tony. His lover was completely relaxed which made it easier but he still had to be patient.

"I'm good, LJ," Tony said once he was sure Gibbs could start moving in and out without hurting him.

Gibbs rocked his hips gently, enjoying the tight heat and connection with his partner. His side was sore but he'd shifted most of his weight to his good side to relieve some of the pressure.

"You okay?" Tony asked when he felt Gibbs trying to get comfortable.

"Yeah," Gibbs said. He snaked his hand under Tony's hips, searching for his lover's cock. Tony raised up enough Gibbs' could reach and hissed when Gibbs grabbed onto him. He jutted his ass into Gibbs so Gibbs would have more room to stroke his cock.

Gibbs squeezed and tugged on Tony's cock. As much as he wanted to draw things out, exhaustion and even more so the pain were telling him that wasn't going to happen. He angled his hips so each stroke was putting a lot of pressure on Tony's prostate.

"Oh shit, LJ. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit."

Gibbs brushed his thumb back and forth over the tip of Tony's cock and Tony nearly came unglued. His moaning went straight to Gibbs' groin.

"My balls, LJ, touch my balls."

Gibbs reached lower and rubbed and tugged on Tony's balls and Tony buried his face in his pillow and cried out. Gibbs moved his hand back to Tony's cock and picked up the pace with his hand as well as increased the speed of his hips.

"So good," Tony cried. "So, so good."

The whining and moaning and wiggling was all it took for Gibbs. It had been nearly twenty four hours since they'd last made love and it had seemed like an eternity. Both of them needed that connection with each other more than they'd ever needed anything in their lives.

As Gibbs pumped into Tony and filled his ass, he felt Tony squirting all over his hand. The two continued to move against each other until they were both out of energy then collapsed into an exhausted heap on the couch.

"As much as I'd like to just lay here and go to sleep, I don't want you sleeping in a wet spot," Gibbs said.

"I don't mind," Tony said, perfectly content having Gibbs' body on top of his and Gibbs' dick in his ass.

"I don't think my ribs can handle it," Gibbs said.

"I guess the bed might be a little more comfortable."

Gibbs pulled out and stood next to the couch. He smacked Tony's bare ass as he pulled his sweats up. "Get that ass back upstairs into bed and don't forget your promise."

"I won't leave," Tony said as he stood. He tugged his pants up then he and Gibbs got the couch and themselves cleaned up and headed back up to their room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Busted**

**Author's Note:**Minor spoilers for the episode Restless.

* * *

The middle of the night romp along with the pain killers Ducky had given him made Gibbs sleepy enough that he slept later than usual. Tony was the first one up on Tuesday and quickly realized they were running late. They would make it to work on time but wouldn't have time to have any fun beforehand.

Tony rolled onto his side and watched Gibbs sleep for a moment. He looked down his body and could see the ugly bruise peeking out of from the covers. He pushed the blankets back and looked at the injured area, still in shock that he'd caused it.

Gibbs shifted as his body chilled and Tony knew he was starting to wake. He leaned over him and pressed a gentle, loving kiss to his lips. "LJ," he said softly. He kissed Gibbs again and Gibbs returned the kiss.

When Tony backed away, Gibbs opened his eyes and looked up at his lover. "Mornin'."

"Hey. You musta been tired."

"Time's it?"

"Quarter to seven."

"We gotta get moving," Gibbs said around a yawn.

The two showered together and got dressed then headed out. They were still taking separate cars since no one knew they were living together yet. Gibbs stopped for coffee and Tony stopped to get himself a breakfast burrito and coffee.

Tony and Tim spent the day working the cold case they'd been assigned the previous week while Gibbs and Ziva worked the case they'd been assigned the previous day. Gibbs and Tony didn't see much of each other but Tony and Tim managed to close the cold case when Tony's theory of Alice murdering her sister proved to be correct. After carrying around the secret for years the mother confessed to knowing what had happened and keeping quiet to protect her only other child. By the time they made it home that night, both of them just wanted to sit in each other's arms.

"I missed you today," Tony said as he held tightly to Gibbs' hand.

"Missed you too," Gibbs said. "Good job closing that cold case."

"Thanks. I would've rather spent the day with you."

Gibbs held Tony tighter and kissed his temple then leaned his head against Tony's. The two sat quietly for awhile before Gibbs spoke.

"What're your nightmares about, Tony?" he asked gently. The finger that had been rubbing over his knuckles stopped and Gibbs wondered if Tony would open up.

"Just the normal stuff," Tony answered vaguely.

"Normal stuff?"

"It's not really a big deal, LJ. There're no big secrets in my past that need to be fixed or anything."

"It is a big deal," Gibbs countered. "You're obviously battling some pretty powerful demons."

"Is this 'cause I hit you?"

"No. I don't care about that," Gibbs said. "It's just a bruise. It'll heal. I'm much more concerned with what's going on in your head to cause such a violent struggle."

"Is this going to turn into a conversation where you try to persuade me to go see a shrink?"

"No," Gibbs said. "Tony, we all have nightmares. I doubt there's anyone in our profession that doesn't but we've gotta deal with them so they don't get worse or start affecting other parts of our lives."

"How do you deal with them?"

"I write my dreams down," Gibbs said. "Sounds stupid, I'll admit, but it really does help. In order to write them down, I have to be able to process them enough to put them into words. I don't know if it's that or if writing them out is just a way to let them go but it's always worked for me."

"Maybe I'll try that," Tony said. "What do you do with them after you write them down?"

"I use the paper as a fire starter."

Tony looked at Gibbs and laughed. "Does that have some sort of significance?"

"Nope. Don't have any reason to keep it and I really don't want anyone else finding it so I burn it."

"Cool. Can I burn mine too?"

"Sure."

* * *

Abby parked her car in front of Gibbs' house and was surprised to see Tony's car there too. She grabbed the beer she'd just purchased at the store and headed inside. She turned the corner into the living room and her jaw nearly fell to the floor. Gibbs was sitting on the couch reading and Tony was cuddled up at his side writing something in a notebook.

"It _is_ Gibbs," Abby muttered.

"Pardon?" Gibbs said.

Before Tony could explain Abby was squealing and throwing her arms around both men. "It's about time! I'm so happy for you guys! You two are so perfect for each other!"

"I never told her we got together but she does know about my embarrassing night at the bar," Tony explained.

"I see," Gibbs said.

The tone of Gibbs' voice told Tony he wasn't upset and Tony was thankful. He didn't tell Abby any details but he had to have someone to talk to and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure things out. "Did you come over here to spy on us or do you need something? Tony asked.

Abby gasped dramatically. "I would never spy on you guys!" she said. "It's Survivor night. Gibbs and I always watch together. Well, except for last week 'cause it was the recap of the season episode and those are boring." Abby looked over at Gibbs. "Did you forget?"

"I've had a lot on my mind, Abs," Gibbs said. "Been working two cases."

"And you got a new boyfriend," Abby teased.

"Wait a minute!" Tony interrupted. "Since when do you watch Survivor? A show about a bunch of half naked chicks stabbing each other in the back to win some money doesn't sound like something you'd be interested in."

"It's a fantastic study of human behavior, Tony!" Abby said passionately. "You take a bunch of strangers and strand them in the middle of nowhere with only each other to rely on, then make them vote each other out and at the end the ones that are left have to ask the people they voted out to award them a million dollars—it's the ultimate sociology experiment!"

"Some of the girls are cute," Tony said with an indifferent shrug.

"You," Gibbs said pointing at Tony, "go finish what you're doing at the table so you won't be distracted. Abs, have a seat. I'll order the pizza."

"Pizza?" Tony asked with definite interest.

"We always have pizza and beer on Survivor night," Abby said. "It's a tradition."

"Go," Gibbs told Tony. "Finish writing so you can join us."

"Whatcha writing?" Abby asked.

"Nothin'," Tony said.

"Abby, what kind of pizza do you want?" Gibbs asked. He knew Tony wouldn't want to be asked a lot of questions about what he was doing.

"Pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese!" Tony answered.

"I know what kind you want," Gibbs said playfully kicking Tony's butt as he walked off. "I was asking Abby."

"I want some vegetables on mine," Abby said. "Maybe pepperoni and mushroom."

"Mind if I get onions on half?" Gibbs asked.

"Put onions on all of it," Abby said. "That sounds good."

Abby turned the TV on and settled in on the couch while Tony disappeared to the dining room and Gibbs headed for the kitchen to order the pizzas. After Gibbs ordered the pizza he stopped behind Tony and leaned over his back, hugging him from behind.

"How's it coming?"

"I'm almost done," Tony said.

"You know you don't have to sit here and finish this, right?" Gibbs asked. "I'm your lover, not your boss. I think you should finish it at some point before bed but it's your decision."

"I know, LJ. I'm gonna finish it. I want to. Then I'll watch Survivor with you guys."

"I love you," Gibbs said before kissing Tony's cheek.

"I love you," Tony said. He turned towards Gibbs and the two shared a kiss then Gibbs left him to finish what he was doing and joined Abby in the living room.

Just before their TV show started, there was a knock at the door. Gibbs paid for the pizzas and tipped the driver then dropped theirs off on the coffee table in front of Abby, grabbed a beer and headed for the dining room. He put Tony's pizza on the table and set the beer down in front of him. He kissed the top of Tony's head as Tony continued scribbling away on the piece of paper in front of him then returned to the living room and settled in next to Abby.

"It's getting ready to start," Abby said as Gibbs grabbed a slice of pizza.

Gibbs handed her the TV remote and she turned it up so they could hear it then they ate their pizza and watched their show. Abby talked nonstop during the commercial breaks about everything from the show to the case they were working. She threw in an occasional subtle question about his relationship with Tony but quit after she realized she wasn't going to get much of an answer out of him. She knew she'd have better luck prying information out of Tony when Gibbs wasn't around.

Tony joined them about halfway through the show and settled in on the opposite side of Gibbs. He couldn't help but make fun of the contestants and tease Abby about it. Abby slapped and poked at Tony and Gibbs soon found himself in the middle of Tony and Abby's war. He pulled Abby to his side and held tightly to Tony's hand and both seemed to take the hint and calmed down.

"Who do you want to win, Abby?" Tony asked conversationally.

"The guy I wanted to win was already voted out," Abby said. "Out of the people left I don't really care who wins."

"I don't either," Tony joked.

Abby rolled her eyes and considered taking another swing at Tony but Gibbs tightened his grip on her so she settled in once again.

"Who do you want to win, LJ?"

"My money's on Taryn," Gibbs said. "She's cutthroat. She knows what she's doing and she's tough. If she can hang on and make it through these last few challenges I think she's earned the money with her game play."

"She stabbed too many people in the back," Abby said.

"She played the game," Gibbs said. "You either stab people in the back or you ride coattails and coattails doesn't deserve a million bucks."

"That's fair," Abby agreed, "but emotions are running high. Would you vote for someone who just betrayed you?"

"Impossible to know," Gibbs said. "Sleep deprived, starved; I don't know what I'd do."

"Easy," Tony said. "You'd kick everybody's ass and not be in that position."

"I'm not half as invincible as you think I am," Gibbs said with a smirk.

"Yes you are," Abby said. "You're just being modest."

Gibbs smiled as he kissed both of them on the top of the head. After Survivor ended the group stood from the couch, yawned and stretched. Abby decided it was time to go. She helped the guys do a quick clean up and promised them both she wouldn't say anything about their relationship then they said good night and saw her out.

"Can I burn what I wrote or do I have to wait till the next time we build a fire?" Tony asked.

"You can burn it," Gibbs said retrieving his Zippo from his pocket. "Don't forget to open the flue."

"You're not gonna beg me to read it?" Tony asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "If you wanna talk about it, I'm here to listen but I'm not going to twist your arm."

Tony pulled the folded up pieces of paper out of his pocket and stared at them. It would be so easy to burn them and just forget about the whole big mess but he hesitated. What if writing them down didn't fix everything? What if it happened again? What if he hurt Gibbs again?

Gibbs had opened up to him quite a bit. He'd made his intentions known. He wasn't going to let Tony go no matter what. Did that mean he wouldn't send him away no matter what? The fact that Gibbs had come down in the middle of the night to get him spoke volumes. It gave Tony a sense of security he couldn't ever remember feeling before. It would be kind of nice to have somebody to talk to, to confess something that had been haunting him since childhood.

Gibbs' hand on his shoulder broke Tony's concentration and he realized he'd zoned out. He looked up at Gibbs, his eyes full of fear and insecurity and held the folded up papers out to him.

"Will you read them?"

Gibbs' eyes met Tony's but he didn't reach for the papers. "Only if you want me to." He was curious about what Tony had written but he didn't want to pry. He didn't want Tony to feel pressured. Their relationship wouldn't be built on fear and manipulation.

Tony nodded, still holding the papers out. "Please." His heart felt like it might beat right out of his chest. "I need to share it with somebody." He hesitated briefly before opening himself up to Gibbs completely. "I want to share it with you."

Gibbs nodded and took the papers from Tony and the two sat down on the couch. "Any chance you'll tell me what you've written?" He didn't mind reading it but he wondered if Tony would just tell him what was going on.

Tony shook his head as he flopped back against the couch. Gibbs nodded and gave him a reassuring smile as he unfolded the papers. Tony fidgeted nervously while Gibbs read. He played with the Zippo until Gibbs gently took it from his hand and put it back into his pocket. Tony's leg shook uncontrollably until Gibbs rested a comforting hand on his knee to still his movements. When he started rolling his head back and forth on the back of the couch, Gibbs wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulders and pulled him close and he realized Tony's entire body was shaking uncontrollably.

Gibbs held Tony close as he read page after page of jumbled up thoughts and feelings. It was nothing like the organized case reports Tony turned in to him at work. It was a chaotic mess of suppressed fears and insecurities; emotions stemming from situations Tony had obviously never shared with anyone before. So much for their being no big secrets from Tony's past. Tony had been relentlessly bullied all throughout his childhood and with his mother being dead and his father always going after the next 'big one' he hadn't had anyone to turn to. A frightened eight year old little boy had been abandoned at boarding school by a father who was always busy chasing bigger deals and prettier women and left to fend for himself.

The bullies were the ones Tony was fighting in his sleep and it was no secret why as Gibbs read. Tony had been held back while others beat him, stripped of his clothes then locked out of his room, tripped, punched, kicked, had his belongings stolen from him, had his head shaved and shoved into the toilet, been tied to the flagpole in the middle of a blizzard wearing nothing but jeans and a t-shirt; Gibbs read page after page of the torment Tony had faced. He held Tony's shaking body even closer and pressed his lips to the top of Tony's head, leaving them there for a long time.

"I'm a wuss, Boss," Tony said through chattering teeth, "a momma's boy. Couldn't even stick up for myself. I deserved everything they did to me." Tony didn't cry as he spoke. He didn't fight it or defend himself. He accepted it as fact.

"No, Tony," Gibbs said. "Those are lies you were told by adults who should've stepped in and helped you."

"I was supposed to help myself. I was supposed to be strong. DiNozzo's are strong. We take care of ourselves."

Tony's behavior was beginning to make more and more sense to Gibbs. Hiding behind humor, brushing things off, refusing to do anything that might be seen as weak; it was all because Tony had learned growing up that no one cared about what happened to him. He had to protect himself from the hurt others were capable of causing him and he did that by shutting everyone out. He refused to give anyone a chance to hurt him again.

"You are strong, Tony," Gibbs said. "You overcame all that and became the best young special agent NCIS has ever seen."

"You're just saying that."

"No," Gibbs said firmly as he shook his head. "No. I do not just say things because I think it's what people want to hear. You should already know that."

The two sat in silence for several minutes. Gibbs held Tony tightly, rubbing his back and squeezing his shoulder, trying to get him to calm and his body to stop shaking while Tony clung to him for dear life. If Gibbs left him, if he lost one more person in his life, he knew he wouldn't be able to carry on.

"The day my mom died was the worst day of my life," Tony said softly. "She and I were close. We were best friends and then she just left me here, all alone. She had her crazy moments. She did some really weird stuff but that's what made her fun. I loved her. I loved her so much, LJ, and she left me here all by myself. Dad was always so busy. He didn't have time for anyone else unless they could make him a bunch of money."

"Tony, I can't fix the past. If I could I would but I can tell you never have to feel alone again. I'll be by your side always and forever."

Tony was fairly certain Gibbs had no idea how much those words meant to him. Just knowing he no longer had to face life alone was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. Hiding behind a mask was exhausting and more than that, it hurt but he'd taken a chance, he'd opened up and let Gibbs in and he'd been rewarded with an incredible feeling of love and security.

"Thank you." Those two little words hardly seemed like enough but Tony hoped they would be sufficient. "Can I burn the papers now?"

Gibbs smiled and nodded and handed Tony the papers and the Zippo. Tony waded each one of them up separately. After opening the flue, he arranged his papers in a pattern then set one on fire. He and Gibbs watched as the other papers caught fire and burned to ashes.

"I feel better already," Tony said. His tone of voice and body language told Gibbs he was telling the truth.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around Tony, hugging him from behind as they watched the fire die out. He kissed the side of Tony's neck then nuzzled his nose in and breathed in Tony's scent. Tony rubbed his ass against Gibbs' cock. With Gibbs' injury and the busyness of working two cases, they hadn't had as much private time together and he was missing it. He knew Gibbs was too.

"Are you sure you feel up to it tonight, Tony?" Gibbs asked. Dealing with the nightmares had been emotional. He'd never seen Tony shake so hard.

"Always," Tony joked.

"Tony," Gibbs said. He didn't want jokes. He didn't want to have sex just because Tony thought that's what he wanted.

"I want to, LJ," Tony said. "I need that connection with you."

"Okay, then make love to me," Gibbs whispered in Tony's ear.

"Sure you're up to it?" Tony asked. He knew Gibbs' side had to still be hurting.

"Positive."

Gibbs took Tony's hand and led him up the stairs, down the hall and into their bedroom. Tony rested his hands at Gibbs' sides and looked down over his body. After work he'd changed into a pair of loose fitting jeans and a comfortable gray t-shirt, true to his afterhours look.

Tony moved his hands up Gibbs' sides, pushing the t-shirt up with them. He pulled it over Gibbs' head then leaned if for a kiss as he let the shirt fall to the floor. He rubbed his hands over Gibbs' chest, carefully avoiding the bruise as his mouth moved from Gibbs' lips to one of his nipples.

Gibbs weaved his fingers in the short hair on the back of Tony's head, moaning appreciatively at the attention. Tony moved on to the other nipple then left a trail of kisses down Gibbs' stomach. His fingers worked to free the button on Gibbs' jeans and lower his zipper then he eased his lover's pants over his hips and let them fall to the floor.

He knelt and helped Gibbs get his pants off then wrapped his arms around his lover's hips. Gibbs' boxer briefs were quickly filling up and Tony couldn't wait to get his hands on his prize. He kissed across Gibbs' length through his underwear, breathing hot breaths on him as he went.

Gibbs continued to grow harder at the attention Tony was giving him. It was a welcomed relief when Tony finally reached into the opening in the front of his underwear and pulled his dick out.

"Kiss me, Tony," Gibbs said.

Tony was all too happy to oblige and pressed a kiss to the tip of Gibbs' cock. He licked the precum off his lips then licked the rest from the tip of Gibbs' cock before swirling his tongue around the head and over the ridge. Gibbs loosely fisted his hand in Tony's hair and his eyes rolled back into his head. Tony could hear Gibbs' breathing pickup and smiled. It was such a different side of Gibbs and one Tony loved seeing. He loved knowing how hot and bothered he could get his lover. He loved the affect he had on him.

After taking his time pleasuring Gibbs' cock, Tony moved on to his balls. He licked and mouthed, tugged and nuzzled and delighted in the noises Gibbs was making.

"You're overdressed," Gibbs said as Tony stood.

Tony leaned in and kissed Gibbs then pulled his shirt over his head. Gibbs unfastened Tony's jeans and Tony wasted no time pushing them to the floor. He'd stripped out of his boxers when they'd arrived home and gone commando all evening. It was one less article of clothing in the way although with Abby's surprise visit he was glad he'd worn clothes. He'd considered going naked once they'd arrived home but instead had changed into jeans and a t-shirt.

Tony leaned in for a passionate kiss while he stroked his cock with one hand and Gibbs' cock with the other. Once the kiss broke, both men watched as Tony brushed the heads of their cocks together. The sensation from the sensitive touch was electrifying. Strings of precum connected their cock heads and Tony couldn't resist rubbing his thumb over it. He took a step closer to Gibbs and held their cocks together, tugging at them both.

"You wanna be on the bottom this time?" Tony asked.

"I want you inside me," Gibbs answered.

Tony walked over to the bed and propped several pillows up against the headboard then sat reclined on the bed. "Come sit on my lap. I don't want to worry about your bruise."

Gibbs knew there would be some discomfort no matter what position they chose but was glad Tony was trying to make things a little more comfortable. He settled on Tony's lap and went back to kissing him while he played with Tony's nipples, rubbing and pinching them into hard little peaks.

"Lie back," Tony said once their kiss broke.

Gibbs laid down between Tony's legs with his feet in the air and Tony grabbed the lube from the nightstand. He drizzled some over Gibbs' cock and watched as it ran down over his hole. He played with Gibbs' cock in one hand and rubbed across his hole with the other. When he felt Gibbs relax and give in to what was happening, he pushed a finger inside. Gibbs' breathing deepened and he closed his eyes, focusing solely on the pleasure Tony was providing.

Once Gibbs adjusted to one finger, Tony pushed another inside, making sure to graze his prostate every so often to remind him of the pleasure that was coming. Gibbs' cock stayed hard in Tony's hand as a third finger was added. He kept his breathing deep and even, letting his body open up to Tony.

Tony lubed his own cock up and pulled Gibbs closer. He rubbed his cock back and forth over Gibbs' hole before lining up and easing inside. Originally he'd planned on Gibbs being on his lap but seeing him all laid out between his legs, he couldn't resist taking him like that. Gibbs winced at the intrusion but focused on Tony's hand working his cock instead.

"You okay?" Tony asked.

"Mm-hmm. Feels good."

Tony quickly realized he didn't have much range of motion in their current position but the little movement they were able to achieve was feeling really good and Tony loved having Gibbs all laid out for him to look at and touch. He traced his fingers over Gibbs' abs and reached up to pinch his nipples before turning his attention to his lover's cock and balls. He squeezed and tugged, rubbed and stroked. The noises coming from Gibbs was music to Tony's ears.

Once Gibbs' body adjusted to the invasion he started rocking his hips, moving himself up and down on Tony's cock. The more Tony tweaked his nipples and played with his cock, the more Gibbs moved his hips. Tony rocked his hips, matching Gibbs' movements as best as he could and quickly decided he needed more. He pushed deep into Gibbs and pulled his legs up under him so he could kneel. He leaned over Gibbs' body and took his mouth in a demanding kiss. Gibbs fought for dominance as their hips found a matching rhythm and they moved together as one.

"Shit, LJ," Tony groaned. He prided himself on his self control but he always seemed to lose it with Gibbs. All of a sudden he found himself worrying about completely losing it.

Tony grabbed onto Gibbs' wrists and pinned them to the bed above his head as he plowed into him. Gibbs squirmed beneath him, angling himself so Tony was rubbing his prostate. He wasn't sure if he could cum like Tony without being touched but if he could that would be the time. He'd never given up control to someone before and wouldn't feel comfortable doing it with anyone except for Tony. With his hands pinned above his head and Tony pounding into his ass all he could do was lay there and take it.

Tony felt like a bastard but the power Gibbs had given to him so freely was such a big turn on that he knew he wasn't going to be able to slow himself down and he wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. His brain told him to reach down and stroke Gibbs to completion but his hand wouldn't obey. He stared down at Gibbs below him and all he could do was watch.

Just as Tony was getting ready to explode he felt Gibbs' feet hit the bed and his hips really start moving. One look at Gibbs' face told Tony his lover was right on the verge. He continued doing what he was doing, unsure of exactly how to help push Gibbs over the edge. Gibbs' body moved together with Tony's and soon both men were crying out together. Tony felt the warm stream spray against his chest as he filled Gibbs' ass. His cries joined Gibbs' as he pumped into his lover until he couldn't move anymore. He stroked Gibbs' cock, pulling every last drop out of him then leaned over and kissed his lover.

"Worked up a sweat," Gibbs said lovingly as he wiped Tony's brow.

"That was like nothing I've ever felt before," Tony said. "How was it for you?"

"Better than I ever would've imagined," Gibbs said. "You were right."

"That's been known to happen on occasion," Tony joked. He gently pulled out of Gibbs and smiled down at his lover before he got out of bed. After retrieving a washcloth, Tony returned and cleaned both of them up then climbed back into bed with Gibbs and cuddled up to his side.

"Are we gonna sleep at the foot of the bed tonight?" Gibbs asked.

"I dunno," Tony said. "As long as you're next to me I don't care how we sleep."

Gibbs pulled Tony even closer and held him even tighter. He rolled his head to the side and kissed Tony's temple, perfectly content with every part of his life.

"LJ, what do you think about telling the others about us?"

Gibbs thought quietly before answering. "I'm okay with it." It had only been a little over a week but it felt like a lifetime. It was the most natural thing in the world.

"I feel settled here," Tony said. "It's hard not to be able to talk about you and us with the others. I don't like hiding the real me. I don't wanna do that anymore. If it's okay with you, I'm ready to tell them."

"Let's tell them," Gibbs said.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Together**

"I think cleaning the bathroom officially makes this my home too," Tony said when Gibbs poked his head in to check on him.

"It's always been your home too, Tony," Gibbs said. "You didn't need to clean a bathroom for that."

"I'm almost done," Tony said. "What do you have left?"

"Living room's vacuumed and straightened up. I have a few lunch dishes to wash and that's it."

"Cool," Tony said. "I hate cleaning."

"I kinda figured that when you hired a maid."

"Maybe I'll hire one for here."

"We don't need a maid, Tony."

"I guess it wasn't that bad doing it together," Tony admitted. "Just think of all the fun we coulda been having if we didn't have to clean."

"We had fun all night and most of the morning."

"Yeah but you can never have too much fun."

Gibbs smiled and leaned over to kiss the back of Tony's head then headed for the kitchen. The team was coming over for an evening of fun and Gibbs and Tony were planning on telling them about their relationship. Even though they were excited about getting their secret out, both were a little nervous about how the team would react.

Tony finished up in the bathroom then washed up and headed for the kitchen. He walked up behind Gibbs who was still washing the dishes and wrapped his arms around his lover's midsection. As he leaned in to kiss the back of Gibbs' neck he heard the front door open.

"Ugh," he grumbled. He gave Gibbs a quick peck then quickly unwrapped his arms from his lover.

"In here," Gibbs called.

"Hey Boss, hi Tony," Tim greeted. "I expected Abby to beat me but I'm surprised to see you here early, Tony."

"Yeah, well, I just… I um, I—"

"Hi everybody!" Abby greeted happily.

"Hey Abs!" Tony said, happy for the interruption.

"Grab a beer, guys," Gibbs said, "make yourselves at home."

Gibbs finished up the last of the dishes then they all took their beers into the living room and talked while they waited for Ducky, Jimmy and Ziva to arrive. As the others arrived the noise level increased. After hours get togethers where they could relax and just be themselves always brought out their wild sides.

"Tell me, Jethro," Ducky said while the younger agents poked and teased each other, "did you have something in particular planned for the evening or is this just a time to unwind?"

"LJ and I actually invited you all over to make an announcement," Tony answered for Gibbs.

"LJ?" Ziva asked.

"Gibbs," Tony said rolling his eyes.

"What is it?" Ducky asked curiously.

Tony looked over at Gibbs and the two shared a smile. "Gibbs and I have kind of been dancing around the truth for years," Tony said. "We've recently decided to stop lying to ourselves and each other."

"Are you saying you guys are a couple now?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah," Tony said. "At least I'm trying to."

"Congratulations," Ziva said.

"That's awesome," Tim added.

"After watching you two stifle your feelings and cheat yourselves out of true happiness for all these years it's nice to finally see you together," Ducky said.

"Life is better with the one you love," Jimmy said with a big goofy grin on his face. "Welcome to the good life."

"Aren't you gonna say anything, Abs?" Tim asked when Abby remained uncharacteristically.

"Oh, I already knew," Abby said. "Gibbs forgot about Survivor night. When I got here they were all cuddly on the couch. It's great though, huh? I'm so happy for them!"

"Thank you all. We appreciate the support," Tony said.

"Are you guys ready to roast some hotdogs?" Gibbs asked.

There was a chorus of unanimous yes's and everybody was on their feet. Gibbs and Ducky stood back and watched the others bump and push their way around, trying to get the best spot in front of the fire for their hotdogs. When they were done, Gibbs and Ducky took their turn.

Dinner was filled with conversation and fun and things soon turned wild. Tony and Abby raided the kitchen, searching for anything they could roast in the fire that might be halfway edible. Tim, Ziva and Jimmy quickly joined in the fun as well. They roasted fruits and vegetables, a candy bar and a hotdog bun until Gibbs put a stop to it and gave them a bag of marshmallows, a box of graham crackers and Tony's bag of Reese's peanut butter cups to make s'mores with.

"Jethro, come with me for a moment," Ducky said as he stood and headed for the kitchen.

Gibbs glanced at the others then followed his longtime friend. "What's up, Duck?"

"I want to have a look at your bruise," Ducky said.

"Aw, Duck, really?" Gibbs complained. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"I will stand in here with you all night," Ducky said firmly.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and sighed heavily but pulled his t-shirt up so Ducky could see. Ducky poked and prodded, observed a few deep breaths and asked a few questions before determining Gibbs was healing up nicely. Gibbs considered an 'I told you so' but decided against it. Ducky always looked after him, even when he didn't want to be looked after, and Gibbs knew he needed someone like that.

They returned to the living room and everyone decided to play a game of Pictionary. It was one of their favorites, beat only by charades but for some reason the group had decided on Pictionary that evening.

After a very loud and exciting game, the house was straightened up then Gibbs and Tony said goodbye to their guests and were once again alone.

"That went well," Tony said.

"Mm-hmm. I'm glad we told 'em."

"I wish we had a hot tub," Tony said. "Tonight would be the perfect night to have some hot hot tub sex."

"I could build one," Gibbs said going after a kiss, "but it won't be ready tonight."

Tony rested his hands on Gibbs' hips and the two looked into each other's eyes. "Maybe we can have some hot sex somewhere else," he suggested.

"I think that could be arranged," Gibbs said before a longer, more passionate kiss.

Once the kiss broke Gibbs took Tony's hand and led him upstairs to their bathroom. There was no hot tub but the bathtub would make a decent substitute. Tony smiled when he realized what Gibbs was doing and started stripping out of his clothes. Gibbs got the water heated up and started filling the tub then poured a little shampoo in as it filled to make some bubbles. He got undressed then he and Tony settled in the bathtub facing each other.

"I love seeing you all wet," Gibbs said as he lathered up a washcloth.

Tony hummed appreciatively. It was always nice to learn one of Gibbs' turn-ons. Gibbs went to work washing Tony, taking his time rubbing and stroking before rinsing and starting on another body part. Tony touched Gibbs' face softly, stealing occasional kisses and brushing his fingers over Gibbs' cheek and shoulder, down his chest and thigh. The smaller tub made it a tight fit for them but it was comfortable and cozy.

"Lie back," Tony said when Gibbs was done washing him. He lathered up a washcloth and looked over Gibbs' body all laid out before him. His chest disappeared under the surface of the bubbles, his knees were sticking out and if Gibbs moved just right his hard cock would peek through the bubbles.

Tony started at Gibbs' neck and worked his way sensually down Gibbs' body, rubbing and massaging as he washed and rinsed. Gibbs closed his eyes as Tony's fingers worked his knotted muscles and washed away the long day. His eyes were still closed when Tony laid across his body and started kissing his collarbone and neck before kissing across his jaw to his cheek and finally his lips. Gibbs opened his mouth and let Tony in before he took his turn exploring Tony's mouth.

Tony rocked his hips, brushing their erections together and getting them both harder. Once the kiss broke, Tony left a trail of kiss down Gibbs' body to his cock. He lifted Gibbs' hips up and took his cock in his mouth. The licking and sucking had Gibbs whimpering in delight in no time at all.

"Bedroom," Gibbs whispered when Tony finally released his cock.

The two stood and turned the shower on to rinse off. Gibbs' hand found Tony's cock and tugged and twisted. He felt Tony's fingers digging into his shoulders and knelt in front of his lover. Tony cried out as his cock disappeared into Gibbs' mouth while Gibbs peered up at him from those intense blue eyes Tony loved so much. He played with Tony's cock and balls in his mouth until Tony turned the water off then the two stepped out, quickly patted themselves dry and headed for the bedroom.

Tony climbed on the bed and settled on all fours with his ass sticking up in the air. Gibbs grabbed the lube and slicked himself up as he got in bed behind Tony. He poured a little bit of lube on Tony and rubbed it around his hole. They made love so often Tony was almost always stretched and ready to go. He was a master at letting his body relax and giving control over to Gibbs. It spoke to the trust the shared.

Tony reached between his legs and stroked himself as Gibbs lined up at his entrance. He decided Gibbs was taking too long and pushed himself back on his lover's cock. Gibbs cried out at the sudden heat enveloping his cock and held onto Tony's hips while Tony rocked himself back and forth on his cock. When Gibbs felt himself barreling towards orgasm all too quickly he stopped Tony's movements and playfully slapped his ass.

"My turn to be on top," he said.

"You were taking too long," Tony replied.

"Not gonna last long enough if you keep that up," Gibbs said.

Gibbs reached his arms around Tony's waist so he could stroke his cock. He kissed and licked everywhere his mouth could reach on Tony's back, smiling when Tony did a face plant in the pillow at the overwhelming pleasure. Gibbs started rocking his hips again, pushing in at a downward angle to rub Tony's sweet spot. He knew he'd found it when he heard Tony's garbled response. With Tony's face buried in the pillow, Gibbs had no idea what he'd said.

Gibbs lengthened his strokes and rubbed the area behind Tony's sac pulling another mangled groan from his lover. He let Tony's cock swing free and focused solely on the area behind Tony's sac, stimulating his prostate from outside and within his body.

Tony hugged the pillow as tightly to his body as he could while Gibbs worked him over. He would've liked to have lasted longer but it felt way too good for him to stop Gibbs. He knew they'd be making love again in a couple hours anyways. He rolled his head to the side so Gibbs could understand him.

"Harder, LJ, harder."

Gibbs obeyed, pumping into him harder and pressing harder against his perineum. He continued licking and kissing along Tony's spine and it wasn't long before Tony was crying out in pleasure as his released himself all over the bed and his chest as Gibbs' movements bounced his cock around.

Once Tony started coming down from his high, Gibbs grabbed onto his cock and started stroking him again. He pulled everything out of him he could and continued stroking him until he felt his balls draw up and his hips start moving erratically. Just before he exploded inside Tony he released Tony's cock and wrapped both arms around Tony's waist, hugging his lover to him. Gibbs moaned in ecstasy as he emptied himself into Tony. When he was done they were both still shaking as their bodies calmed.

Gibbs collapsed onto Tony's back and they both fell to the bed. Gibbs rolled onto his side, keeping Tony with him. He didn't want to pull out yet. He scooted them so Tony wasn't lying in the wet spot then tugged Tony tightly against him and just held him close.

The road had been long and the circumstances strange but in the end it led them to each other and each other was all they needed. No matter what struggles came their way they would conquer them together. With the need to keep secrets gone and the love and support of the team, they could be true to themselves no matter what. It was a new beginning for both of them and both of them were more than ready to begin their life together.

**THE END**


End file.
